Western Sydney put Sydney Uni’s title defence in serious trouble following an impressive 38-31 victory at University Oval. Elsewhere, three teams from the bottom four beat sides above them on the ladder, adding further dramas to the finals race, while Gordon broke a four game losing streak to boost their playoff hopes.

Catch up on all the action from another tight and thrilling weekend of Shute Shield action.

Western Sydney 38-31 Sydney Uni

Western Sydney have given their finals hopes a massive boost and placed a big question mark on Sydney Uni’s post season ambitions with a thrilling 38-31 victory at University Oval in one of the best Shute Shield matches of the season. 

The Two Blues raced away to a 14-0 lead early following a try in the second minute to Nikola Vikena and a second five pointer to scrumhalf Rilloy Suesue who took an intercept off a University lineout five metres out from the Students line. 

The Students hit back when flyhalf Theo Strang stepped his way to the try line in the 25th minute, before both sides kicked penalty goals to give the Two Blues a 17-10 lead at half time. 

Uni played with a massive wind advantage in the second half and began to dominate the Two Blues at scrum time. That led to a yellow card early in the second half, then a penalty try and a second yellow card after a dominant five metre scrum. 

With the scores locked at 17-all and the Two Blues down to 13 men, the visitors somehow worked their way down into University territory and earned a penalty near the Students’ line. 

Fullback Sitiveni Moceidreke took a quick tap and scored, but that good work was undone minutes later when a charge down allowed Uni No.9 Henry Robertson to cross and level the scores again. 

10 minutes later, the Two Blues regained the lead when forward Irie Papuni crossed from close range, but once again Uni hit back within minutes and levelled the scores following a try to Henry Clunies-Ross.  

The match was gripping and worthy of a draw. But with just minutes remaining, Two Blues lock Manasa Rokosuka scooped up a loose ball near the side line and linked cleverly with Jonny Kawau to score what looked like the match winner. 

Yet somehow, minutes after the 80 minute bell had been rung, the Students still had time and threatened the Two Blues line once again, only to have their attack halted by a Jay Fonokalafi pilfer that sealed the result. 

Uni are now six points out of the top six and travel to play Hunter in Newcastle next week. 

West Harbour 34-31 Eastwood

West Harbour kicked a match winning penalty goal in injury time, just moments after Eastwood missed a penalty attempt down the other end that would have sealed victory for the Woodies. 

On Back to West Harbour Day at Concord, the Pirates opened the scoring in the 18th minute through Callum Sirker. 

Eastwood hit back with two tries in three minutes to outside backs Jack Metcalf and Harry Wilson and took a 19-7 lead to the half time break following a try from a driving maul late in the half. 

West Harbour skipper Max Clementson crossed from close range to reduce the deficit six minutes into the second half, but Eastwood responded immediately and scored through Michael Icely to give the Woodies a 24-12 lead. 

West Harbour were in for a fight though and scored back to back tries through Griffin Bayley and James Faiva to lead 26-24 with 15 minutes remaining. 

In the 75th minute, Fabian Goodall, back at Eastwood following a stint in the MLR, broke through the Pirates’ defence and set up a try for new fullback and Melbourne Rebel Joe Pincus. 

Trailing 31-26, West Harbour levelled the scores in the 78th minute after Callum Sirker crossed for his second. 

Then in the 80th minute, Eastwood earned a scrum penalty and had a shot at goal to win the match. 

Tane Edmed’s attempt just missed allowing West Harbour to regain possession and work the ball down into Eastwood’s territory. 

The Pirates then earned a breakdown penalty and flyhalf James Faiva stepped up from 30 metres out and five metres in from the sideline and nailed the penalty shot to win the match in thrilling circumstances.  

Randwick 27-15 Northern Suburbs

Randwick moved within one competition point of the top of the Shute Shield ladder following a hard fought 27-15 victory over second placed Northern Suburbs. 

Norths opened the scoring with a penalty goal earned from a scrum in the opening minutes. 

Randwick responded when lock Cormac Daly spotted a massive gap in Norths’ ruck defence and ran 25 metres almost untouched to score next to the posts. 

The Randwick scrum then gained ascendency and the visitors kicked two penalty goals to take a 13-3 lead. 

Norths hit back when flyhalf Jude Gibbs split the Randwick defence and somehow managed to plant the ball down just inside the corner post to reduce the deficit to five points. 

But Randwick took a 20-8 lead to the half time break following a try from a driving maul late in the half. 

Midway through the second half, it was Norths’ turn to take advantage of some poor Randwick ruck defence. 

Following a dominant scrum, flanker Charlie Jeavons-Fellows raced through a big gap close to a ruck and offloaded to Nick Duffy who scored to bring the home side within seven points. 

But Randwick landed the killer blow in the 65th minute. Attacking deep in Norths’ territory, Andrew Deegan threw a nice pass to Ben Houston on an overs line. Houston beat his defender, then stepped the fullback to score and seal an important 27-15 away win for the Galloping Greens. 

Southern Districts 24-21 Hunter

Southern Districts have stunned competition frontrunners’ Hunter for the second time this season, claiming a morale boosting 24-21 home victory on Back to Port Hacking Day at Forshaw. 

Chasing just their fourth win of the season, the Rebels took the lead early when flyhalf Bayley Kuenzle stepped his way to the line in the third minute. 

Hunter hit back and levelled the scores with a try from a clever short lineout play near the Rebels’ line. 

But just as they were in Newcastle earlier this year, Souths were clearly up for this match. 

Lock Jake Douglas crossed from close range in the 30th minute to retake the lead, then fullback Issac Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens split the Hunter defence and scored to give the home side a 17-7 advantage at the break. 

The Wildfires’ forwards began to make metres in the second half. Ueta Tufuga scored in the 46th minute from a play that started with an Andrew Tuala break inside Hunter’s half.

Five minutes later, Issac Ulberg scored in the corner on the back of a dominant Wildfires’ five metre scrum and when that try was converted from the sideline, the visitors led 21-17. 

But Souths, who have struggled to compete for 80 minutes throughout the season, fought back and regained the lead when Archie Hosking found a way through Hunter’s typically resilient goal line defence in the 65th minute. 

The Rebels then defended brilliantly in the final 10 minutes to seal an important with for Jayson Brewer’s side and the club. 

Eastern Suburbs 29-28 Manly

Returning Easts’ back Nick Jooste nailed a conversion from near the sideline to seal a 29-28 win for the Beasties over Manly at Woollahra. 

With little to play for but pride after a disappointing season, Easts raced away to a 15-0 lead midway through the first half following tries to AJ Wallington and Luke Glen. 

That seemed to wake the Marlins, who were searching for their first win in five weeks.

Manly scored three unanswered tries through Fraser Conway, Ivan Fepulai and Harrison Mataele to lead 21-15 at halftime, then pushed further ahead when Yool Yool scored early in the second half. 

Easts managed to wrestle back momentum though and reduced the deficit to just six points when winger Oli Little scored off an inside ball from Henry Patterson. 

The Beasties repelled several Manly raids throughout the second half, then worked play deep into Marlins’ territory in the final minutes. 

Blake Rixon eventually scored in the corner in the 78th minute and Jooste nailed the difficult conversion to give the Beasties a 29-28 lead. 

Manly had one last chance to steal victory, but a Will Harris turnover sealed the result for the home side. 

The loss is Manly’s third in four weeks and following a draw to Randwick in round 13, the Marlins are winless in the past month and face an in form Western Sydney side next week. 

Gordon 31-26 Warringah

Gordon survived a late scare to claim an important 31-26 victory over Warringah on a weekend when four sides above them on the ladder were defeated. 

The Stags blew Warringah away in the first half at Rat Park, scoring three unanswered tries between the 10 and 20 minute mark. Ben Pollack scored twice, with Tom Horan also crossing to give the visitors a 19-0 lead. 

Warringah responded with a try to Hugh Margin from the back of a driving maul, but Gordon hit straight back with Tom Maka crossing after a clever lineout play close to the Rats’ line. 

Ben Pollack then finished of a classy Gordon backline play to claim a first half hattrick and give his side a 31-7 lead. 

Warringah scored through Sateki Latu midway through the second half and with a Gordon player in the bin, began to threaten a comeback. 

Wes Thomas crossed from a driving maul in the 61st minute, then Latu scored again with nine minutes remaining to reduce the deficit to just five points. 

The Rats had a chance to steal the match in the final minutes, but a turnover from Milan Basson sealed the result for Gordon. 

The win was Gordon’s first in five weeks and keeps the Stags within one win of a spot in the top six.