Waratahs halfback Brendan McKibbin was invaluable to Easts in the Shute Shield on the weekend

by Brendan Bradford –

The Waratahs’ bye saw a healthy scattering of Super Rugby talent rejoin the Shute Shield last weekend, but not many had as big an impact as Eastern Suburbs halfback Brendan McKibbin as the Beasties edged Penrith for their much needed second win of the season.

Put simply, he won the game.

With his speed around the ruck and experience controlling play, the 28-year old scrummie was the best on the park on Saturday afternoon and he made some telling contributions in the closing quarter when the game was in the balance.

Easts won two penalties just inside Penrith territory which McKibbin kicked with pin-point accuracy – and daring – into touch five metres out from the Emus’ line. The Beasties’ rolling maul couldn’t finish the job, but pressure was starting to mount and when Penrith conceded one too many penalties deep in their own half and had a man sent to the bin, it was McKibbin’s quick tap that allowed Tala Gray to barge over and narrow Easts’ deficit to four points.

Penrith scored a penalty but a few minutes later ‘Kibbo’ took another quick tap and launched an audacious cross-field bomb for Will Paterson to score in the right corner. He then nailed the tricky conversion to level the scores.

As the game wore on, it became more and more apparent that McKibbin was controlling play for the Beasties who narrowly walked away from Nepean with a bonus point 35-30 win. Penrith, a team noted for fading late in games, ultimately succumbed to the pace and composure McKibbin played with in the final 20-minutes – a fact not lost on Easts’ coach Campbell Aitken.

McKibbin in action for Eastern Suburbs
Photo: SPA Images

“Brendan probably influences Shute Shield games better than any Super player I’ve seen and what he brings to us is invaluable,” he said.

“He quickens the game up. You saw that with Tala’s try and the cross-field kick. That sort of stuff, I think club players probably don’t think of and don’t have the confidence to do or don’t have the ability to execute, so he makes a huge difference to our team.”

Easts captain Anton La Vin shed some light on that cross-field kick in the sheds after the game.

“I asked him in the car on the way out if he was going to do one, and he said ‘if it’s on it’s on’ so I told the wingers just to be ready for it at all times and fair enough he did it,” said the long-serving La Vin.

“It was a really good kick and credit to our young winger Will Paterson for taking it and putting the ball down. I think he was the only one to see it coming, so it was a good one.”

It speaks volumes of the Waratahs’ depth in the position that McKibbin has only received limited Super Rugby game time this season. With Nick Phipps firmly entrenched in the number nine jersey, McKibbin has started on the bench, adding a spark of energy in the final quarter.

With Matt Lucas lighting up the club ranks each weekend for Manly and Josh Holmes – who has just been signed on a short-term contract by the Rebels for a long overdue Super Rugby return – as well as Mick Snowden and Dewet Roos (before his injury), there’s no lack of scrumhalf talent throughout the Shute Shield either, which makes McKibbin’s second place in the Tahs’ pecking order nothing to sneeze at.  

Like many Super players, he jumped at the chance to play club footy on the weekend.

“I love getting back down to the Beasties, it’s a really good club and the boys have a fair amount of fun so it’s good to come back,” he told Rugby News.

“I guess I haven’t been playing much this season, so when I get the opportunity to play rugby, which is what I do, I love it and I love coming out to Penrith –especially with the Emu burgers and the bus trip back.”

His confidence and experience was evident when he explained that cross-field kick.

“We thought we’d throw it out there and have a go. We’d had a couple of opportunities but hit the one when they were a bit lazy and not watching,” he said.

“They thought we were going to go for the driving lineout and it was just one of those things that was lucky to come off.”

Kibbo will likely be back in action for the Tahs this weekend as they host the Lions at Allianz Stadium, but it’s Easts who’d probably need him more as they play second placed Eastwood at Woollahra Oval on Saturday.