by Paul Cook –

Having lost only two of their opening 11 matches, the Students had doubled that tally of defeats in the last three weeks with reversals at both Eastwood and Randwick, and were no doubt keen to return to winning ways as the regular season finals rush hits full swing. The Rats meanwhile, came in off the back of a hard earned victory over a resolute Parramatta, but with three more weeks of knockout footy against top six rivals to follow, a win at Camperdown loomed as a potential must if they were to try and cement themselves into finals contention.

It’s becoming an all too common occurrence these days but the sight of a stricken Siaosi Halaifonua after only two minutes of the game, the flanker steamrolled in contact by a rampaging Sam Ward, made for understandably uncomfortable viewing for both players and spectators alike. A five minute halt in proceedings as he received first class treatment from the University medical staff – the genuine champions of this modern day gladiatorial spectacle – thankfully ended with Halaifonua gingerly walking off the field.

The enforced break had interrupted a confident start from the visitors, and their fluidity continued after the restart, Ward bending the line with some powerful carries and when the ball went wide, there was pace to burn if they could manoeuvre the right opening.

When that opening did come in the 9th minute, there was an air of fortune about it. A clearing kick from Uni fullback Angus Roberts was touched in flight, allowing Jack Redden to scoop up and tear upfield. But when the winger unleashed a loose pass in the tackle, the ball fell invitingly for retreating Rats flyhalf Hamish Angus to pop a pass up to Michael Adams, and he had more than enough gas to stride away for the corner.

A Christian Kagiassis penalty from Uni’s first visit inside the Warringah 22 reduced the early arrears but the Rats were soon back on the front foot, a tidy grubber in behind from try-scorer Adams forcing Roberts to concede a lineout within striking distance. One offside penalty later, conceded by an over-eager David Hickey, and Hamish Angus slotted his second successful kick to get the Rats back out to a 10-3 advantage.

The visitors were gifted another leg-up in the game a minute after the restart when Uni’s Lachlan Swinton went to the bin for throwing a punch at Rats hooker Luke Holmes. Swinton’s ire is perhaps more understandable given the wily Holmes had hold of the young lock’s flowing locks at the time, although the punch itself, and the ensuing melee which appeared to include a stray green-legged boot aimed in his direction while he himself was on the floor, has no place on the field in this day and age and could well have resulted in two permanent dismissals instead.

As it was, the game proceeded with one man down and the buoyant Rats duly took advantage, some slick hands down the left flank from Seb Wileman and Tyson Davis allowing Harry Jones to plough the same furrow as their wingman Adams had earlier, for his eighth try of the season. Sharp-shooter Angus converted from the sideline and Warringah were up by two converted tries with just over a quarter of the game played.

But if the Rats thought they were travelling nicely at that point in proceeedings, they were in dreamland a couple of minutes later when Uni pushed a touch too hard for an immediate riposte and Wileman intercepted a Tom Robertson pass with consummate ease on halfway to run in a third.

Uni needed something and soon, and after putting together their most concerted assault on the Warringah line on the half hour, the forwards were the point of difference as pick and drives edged them closer and Folau Faingaa finished the job under the posts. But the score proved to be a false dawn for the home side, their unflustered opponents going straight up the other end to plunder a fourth, the kick in behind again the weapon of choice as the rapier like Jones stole a march on Uni’s defence to reach Angus’ grubber first for his double.

If there were any crumbs of comfort for the Students from a lacklustre first half, it was the fact that both times they had been inside the opposition 22, they had come away with points. And when they worked their way into the red zone again just before the break, another pick and drive try, this time from Paddy Ryan, afforded the home side a vital lifeline in the game and a significant confidence boost to morale as the teams went to the sheds at 29-17.

A breakdown penalty conceded by David Hickey three minutes into the second stanza, not only allowed Hamish Angus to extend his side’s lead, it also proved to be the last action for the hardworking Uni openside, his day’s work ended by an ankle injury. And when Uni infringed again within sight of the posts, with the same result from Angus, the pre-match ladder leaders were back staring down a third home loss of the year at 35-17.

Cue Jim Stewart. The gun centre had received a shot across the bow from coach Tim Davidson with his demotion to the bench, and his introduction to the fray was very much a case of cometh the hour, cometh the man as he set off in search of redemption. Stewart’s first carry saw him go 40 metres, stepping, weaving and deceiving four defenders with the ball in both hands before a lovely one-handed offload released Angus Roberts for the fullback’s sixth five-pointer of 2016.

The try, and Stewart’s introduction, gave Uni a new lease of life, and with the added impetus of a rampaging Tolu Latu, they soon added another. Stewart was the architect-in-chief again, three damaging carries taking the Students within range and when the ball went wide for a seagulling Latu, the Waratahs hooker was too big and too strong to stop crashing over from a couple of metres.

Warringah thought they were in again shortly after the restart, the effervescent Michael Adams touching down in the corner, but not after putting a foot on the line first. And that proved to be the only genuine chance for quite a while, the scoreboard given a rest as both sides toiled away with scant reward.

When the Rats did surge again, with just over 10 minutes remaining, they found Uni’s defence in desperation mode. But another Angus penalty took them out to a converted try lead, at 38-31.

That soon became 38-34 when the metronomic Kagiassis punished an offside penalty with 3pts. However, a contentious accidental obstruction call from ref Houston – from the home supporters perspective – allowed Angus to twist the knife in Uni’s open wound with trademark precision.

Confusion reigned from that point on, but try and stay with me. The time-keeper’s bell rang straight after the restart but Houston indicated to the Rats players that there were still two minutes to play on his watch. Prevented from kicking to touch to ensure victory, Warringah’s forwards trucked it up for a full minute to wind down the remaining time. But when Uni were awarded a penalty and Roberts duly kicked to touch, the home side suddenly eyed a get-out-of-jail-card lying on the table.

Another penalty off the lineout drew a yellow card for Rats flanker Tom O’Connor and Uni captain Tom Carter called for a scrum. Now playing overtime, Uni played a penalty advantage before being smothered out wide, and promptly reset again, a scenario that was subsequently repeated to take us back to a third engagement. The Rats were pinged again, but this time the Students managed to get the go-forward they needed to put runners in place, and flyhalf Stu Dunbar still had the fancy footwork in his legs to step and stretch for the line.

With the Rats players left stunned behind the posts, up stepped Christian Kagiassis to claim an unlikely share of the spoils – a full nine minutes after the timekeeper’s bell – and he never looked like missing. Uni celebrated as if they’d won, Warringah commiserated as if they’d lost, but both sides should be able to reflect on three points apiece as a valuable addition to their ladder tally with three rounds to go.

Sydney University 41 (Folau Fainga’a, Paddy Ryan, Angus Roberts, Tolu Latu, Stu Dunbar tries; Christian Kagiassis 5 cons, 2 pens) drew with Warringah 41 (Harry Jones 2, Michael Adams, Seb Wileman tries; Hamish Angus 3 cons, 5 pens)