Game Breaker: Uni’s Jock Merriman goes in for the match winning try
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

by Paul Cook –

Sydney University have been forced to go to the well to earn their 10th Shute Shield semi-final appearance in a row, with a 26-23 win over a gallant Warringah at Rat Park on Saturday.

The Students bossed the early exchanges with little reward and found themselves 16-10 down at the break, a superb Brad Dixon try and the boot of Hamish Angus giving the home side hope of a second victory over Uni in 2014.

Injuries to Angus Roberts and Jim Stewart forced a reshuffle of the visitor’s backline and it was replacement Jack Macklin that guided his side back into contention with two second half penalties before a try from Rats skipper Luke Holmes on the hour put the hosts in the box seat.

However, a third penalty from Macklin and a late converted try from Jock Merriman sealed the deal for the Students to put them into the final four and leave the Rats finals’ fate out of their own hands.

While Warringah were on the board first through a 2nd minute Hamish Angus penalty, it was Uni who made the early running. The pace and attacking intent in this youthful Students team was evident from the off and a number of raids saw them set up camp inside the Rats’ 22. All that was missing was the final pass, Henry Clunies-Ross guilty of ignoring an overlap with James Dargaville free on his outside.

Flash: Jake Gordon came off the bench
to score the Students’ second try
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

Having lost stalwart Dan Kelly at training on Thursday night, Uni were already experimenting with a new look backline before Angus Roberts succumbed to an unfortunate injury before the end of the first quarter.

Jock Merriman had started at scrumhalf with Roberts shifting from fullback to no.10 and Michael Hodge making his first start of the season with his first appearance in the no.15 jersey since he was 10-years-old. But when Roberts went down with a suspected dislocated ankle, coach Chris Malone had to realign his troops once more, Jake Gordon coming on at 9 with Merriman moving out one spot to pivot.

It didn’t faze them at first, Dargaville scoring his 19th try of the season after good work from Tom Carter and a pass off the floor from Hugo Dessens. But after Gordon sliced the conversion to leave a 5-3 lead for the visitors, their lack of combinations after the restart started to show.

Meanwhile, the Rats were grabbing any possession they could muster and beginning to look increasingly dangerous off turnover ball and counter attack. When Angus slotted a penalty on 24 minutes, they’d emerged from a period of Uni dominance largely unscathed and when the leading Shute Shield points scorer punished another indiscretion in the 33rd minute for a 9-5 advantage, the faithful on the hill at Rat Park sensed another famous victory.

That belief was sent into overdrive when the Warringah backline concocted another contender for try of the season five minutes before the break.

Uni had field position on the edge of the Warringah 22 and were trying to work the ball from a ruck with numbers out wide but not for the first time, the Rats turned it over and went immediately on the offensive. Josh Holmes fed Brad Dixon, who took it 30 metres up the right flank, foiled everyone with a dummy pass inside before streaking away, exchanging passes with Holmes in support and sliding over.

A terrific sideline conversion from Angus made it 16-5 and having failed to capitalise when in the ascendancy early on, Uni now found themselves two scores behind to a side that had been clinical with every opportunity. It was a big test for the Varsity’s young guns now, a couple of dropped high balls in succession an indication that nerves were ever so slightly frayed and with the parochial home crowd giving them plenty, there was no hiding place.

No Way Through: A hat-trick hero last week, Henry Clunies-Ross found himself a marked man by the Rats – Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

However, they stood up to the challenge and got back a score they badly needed before the break. A line break from Dargaville earned a penalty, Carter tapped and went himself and from the ensuing ruck, Gordon looked to have missed an opportunity when he left the ball unattended but a bit of quick thinking saw him reach back in, spin away from a couple of soft Rats tackles and find the chalk.

16-10 at oranges then but Uni suffered further disruption before they returned to the field, the impressive Jim Stewart unable to continue, with Jack Macklin on in his place. What that did inadvertently provide Uni with, was a regular goal kicker and with Merriman and Gordon both shanking their first half efforts and no Dan Kelly to call on, it fell upon Macklin’s shoulders to bring his side back into the game.

It took him a touch over 10 minutes to achieve parity for his side, two penalties in quick succession levelling the scoreboard and dousing the Rats’ hopes of opening up a gap. But with Boyd Killingworth and Sam Ward in imperious – and aggressive – form at the breakdown, the Rats were still able to disrupt and when they were piggy-backed downfield after a succession of penalties, Sam Talakai wore the referee’s patience a little too thin and got 10 minutes in the bin as a result.

Captain’s Knock: Warringah skipper Luke Holmes drives over for the Rats’ second five pointer
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

Seizing the moment, the Rats opted for a 5 metre lineout from which skipper Luke Holmes was routinely driven over and Angus’ conversion set-up an intriguing final quarter with the home side back in front, 23-16.

Uni were coughing up attacking opportunities with a tad too much intricacy – wraparound plays that weren’t read or a pass in behind the runner. It was almost the complete opposite to last week’s performance and a credit to the pressure being applied by the Rats backrow in particular.

However, with 14 minutes left on the clock, their pressure did bring a couple of penalties – but no card – that ended with skipper Carter pointing to the posts. Macklin slotted again but with the Students still two scores behind at 23-19, and with the Rats having been pinned inside their own 22 and potentially one penalty away from a card, the decision was always going to be judged as either brave or foolhardy depending on the final outcome.

They certainly left it late. A Jake Gordon breakaway in the 74th minute saw an inside ball to Dessens, who could have been away to the posts but for a flailing arm from Rats fullback Dave Feltscheer. Whether it was a deliberate knockdown or a genuine attempt at an intercept depended on your allegiances on the day but Feltscheer got the benefit of the doubt.

Knowing 3pts wasn’t enough this time, Uni kept their foot on the throat and after plenty of shuffle ball along the line looking for a gap, it was Merriman who found it, dummying right and slicing his way over from 5 metres. The reliable Macklin added the extras to put Uni one game away from another tilt at the title, while Warringah were left to wait on the result between Eastwood and Southern Districts to decide their fate.

Sydney University 26 (James Dargaville, Jake Gordon, Jock Merriman tries; Jack Macklin 3 pens, con) defeated Warringah 23 (Brad Dixon, Luke Holmes tries; Hamish Angus 3 pens, 2 cons)