Returning Sydney Uni first grade coach Damien Hill is hopeful the Student’s development ‘conveyor belt’ can help deliver his new look side another Shute Shield premiership. 

Hill coached Sydney Uni to three straight first grade premierships from 2007 to 2009 before coaching professionally in Australia and Japan with the Melbourne Rebels, Ricoh Black Rams and ACT Brumbies. 

He returned to Sydney last year and worked under Sean Hedger as an assistant coach in Sydney Uni’s most recent premiership campaign before taking on the top job at Camperdown in late 2022. 

“It’s a privilege to be back coaching at this club but there is also a lot of expectation that comes with the role and I’m aware of that,” Hill told Rugby News. 

“The club hasn’t changed a great deal since my last stint as head coach. They are still developing a lot of quality players.

“Maybe it’s just me getting older, but the players all seem a lot younger than before, that’s for sure.”

Hill will coach a very different side in 2023 to the side that ran out in last year’s grand final against Gordon just over five months ago. 

“I think something like two thirds of the first grade squad from the past two years have moved on and picked up professional contracts. We’ve also had a few players retire to focus on their careers outside of football. 

“It’s fantastic. We’re a development club, that’s our role in the wider rugby landscape and the club has performed really well in that regard.”

“The beauty of that is that now we can give opportunities to the next crop of players and I’ve been really impressed with some of the young men pushing up from both lower grades and colts.”

Hill said the club’s strength was its ability to attract young men and women who are ambitious both on and off the field and are willing to work hard enough to help themselves fulfil those ambitions. 

He singled out backrower Angus Allen and prop Brad Amituanai as two such men to watch in the early rounds of this season. 

“Angus is a backrower with great leadership qualities and he’s had a great preseason. 

“Brad played first and second grade last year. He’s trained unbelievably well and has just got an opportunity with the Waratahs, which is fantastic to see.” 

While Hill said he wouldn’t tinker too much with Sean Hedger’s game plan from last season, he hoped a dryer winter would allow his side to play a slightly more expansive style than they did last year. 

He’s also added former Norths coach Nick Hensley to his coaching staff as defence coach. 

“I actually coached Nick back in his playing days at Uni, so it’s great to be working with him again. He’s just returned from the Western Force. We’ve also got Brian Smith helping us and Mark Bakewell returns from last year so there is some good continuity there.”

Sydney Uni open their 2023 campaign against Norths at North Sydney Oval on April 1 in the opening round of what Hill expects to be an extremely tight season. 

“The competition is unbelievably close. 

“Last year we lost to Western Sydney and Hunter and both those sides didn’t make the finals. It’s fantastic to see it so competitive. 

“Norths are going to be right up there. Randwick and Easts are always competitive, Eastwood will be strong again. Warringah are always really tough to beat up at Rat Park. I could probably name most of the competition because I’m sure it’s going to be tight again.”