Randwick moved to top spot on the Shute Shield and extended a six match unbeaten run with a 36-22 victory over Easts, while Sydney Uni and Gordon both claimed important victories to boost their playoff hopes.

Catch up on all the action from round 15.

Sydney Uni 36-21 Hunter

Sydney Uni scored three tries in eight minutes early in the second half to set up a 36-21 victory over Hunter in Newcastle and get their finals’ hopes back on track. 

Hunter scored two unanswered tries in the first half, both to winger Issac Ulberg and both on the back of attacking mauls near the Uni line. 

But after trailing 14-0 at the break, Uni captain Jack McCalman barged over from close range minutes into the second half to get his side on the board. 

Three minutes later, No.9 Theo Strang found clear space off the back of a lineout and linked with Eddie Poolman for the Students’ second five pointer. 

Then in the 51st minute, Henry Clunies-Ross beat his defender and threw a lovely flick pass to Simon Kennewell to give the visitors an unlikely 19-14 lead. 

With 15 minutes remaining and with the match in the balance, a 50/22 from fullback Jac Lloyd gave Uni a lineout near the Hunter try line and the home side had no answer for the Uni maul. 

After trailing by 14, Uni scored 26 unanswered points to take a comfortable lead inside the final quarter of the match. 

Hunter crossed through replacement forward Taufa Kinikini to reduce the deficit to 8 points with 8 minutes remaining, but a Henry Robertson try on the back of a dominant Uni scrum sealed the result for the visitors in the closing minutes. 

Gordon 39-38 West Harbour

A Jack McGregor penalty goal in the 82nd minute helped Gordon claim a season defining 39-38 victory over a West Harbour side who won with the last kick of the match just last week. 

In a fairly wild match at Chatswood, Gordon scored five unanswered tries in 20 minutes to lead 29-3 midway through the first half. 

Milan Basson crossed twice, while Tom Horan and wingers Ben Pollack and Will Terry also found the line. 

West Harbour hit back in the 32nd minute through Justin Masters, then when prop Vaotangi Mafi crossed on the stroke of half time, the deficit was back to just 12 points. 

The Pirates reduced the deficit further when Callum Sirker crossed in the 47th minute, but Gordon responded almost immediately and led 36-24 with 25 minutes remaining following Will Terry’s second try of the afternoon. 

The scoreline stayed that way into the 75th minute when replacement scrumhalf Drew Sellars and Sirker combined for a long range try to give the Pirates’ hope of another comeback victory. 

Minutes later, Sellars darted from the base of the ruck and scored next to the posts to give West Harbour an unlikely 38-36 lead in the 79th minute. 

But with their season on the line, Gordon would have the last laugh. After working play into West Harbour’s quarter, Jack McGregor appeared to get tackled into touch. But the referees said McGregor stayed in play and that the tackle was high. 

That gave the fullback a shot at penalty from five metres in from touch, which he nailed to secure Gordon a 39-38 win. It was Gordon’s second victory since May this year. 

Manly 29-16 Western Sydney

Manly held out Western Sydney twice in the final five minutes to claim an important 26-19 victory, the Marlins’ first win since round 10. 

Zac Barnabas and Aaron Blacklock combined nicely in the 10th minute to score off the back of a driving maul and give the home side an early lead. 

But the Two Blues responded almost immediately with a driving maul try of their own. 

The Marlins kicked a penalty goal to take a 10-7 lead to the break and added a second penalty goal minutes in to the second half to lead 13-7. 

With a Manly player in the sin bin, Western Sydney scored a great try from a short lineout play in front of the Manly Oval grandstand to reduce the deficit. 

And after a third Manly penalty goal, the Two Blues crossed again through hooker Jay Fonokalafi to lead 19-16 midway through the second half. 

Manly kicked a fourth penalty goal to level the scores in the 65th minute, then claimed a 26-19 lead when flyhalf Tom Hardwick threw a lovely short ball to Ben Gleeson who scored under the posts in the 75th minute. 

Western Sydney had two chances to score and potentially steal a draw in the final five minutes, but on both occasions the Manly defence held strong. 

Manly are fifth following their first win in five matches, while the Two Blues drop out of the top six and sit in seventh spot on 44 competition points, two points behind Gordon in sixth and two in front of Uni in eighth. 

Randwick 36-22 Eastern Suburbs

Randwick moved to top spot on the Shute Shield ladder with a gritty 36-22 victory over Easts at Woollahra Oval and claimed a second straight victory over their Eastern Suburbs’ rival. 

The visitors opened the scoring in the 6th minute with a try to Ben Houston from a driving maul. But off the kick off, Houston spilled the ball and Easts hit back instantly with a try to centre Mosese Tuipulotu. 

Randwick pushed ahead with a pick and drive try to Ollie Adkins in the 16th minute, but Easts responded in the 20th minute with a try to Will Harris and trailed 12-10 midway through the first half. 

With an Easts’ player in the bin, Randwick extended their lead after a Joel Ellis try in the 32nd minute, then scored the try of the match on the stroke of half time. 

Easts attacked inside Randwick territory but spilled the ball. Prop Cronan Gleeson scooped up the loose pill and charged down field before throwing a 20 metre pass over four Easts’ defenders to set up a try for Ben Houston and give Randwick a 26-10 lead at the break. 

Easts’ scrum gained ascendency in the second half and Tuipulotu scored his second try after a quick tap from a scrum penalty. On the back of another good scrum, winger Oli Little scored and suddenly the deficit was just four points with 20 minutes remaining. 

But Randwick all but sealed victory with a clever midfield play in the 65th minute. Nick Chan threw a lovely short ball to his fellow centre Matias Jensen to score. 

The Galloping Greens then added a penalty goal and then defended their line for the final five minutes to seal a 36-22 victory and move a step closer to a potential minor premiership. 

Northern Suburbs 27-21 Warringah

A ridiculous bounce of the ball in the 79th minute led to a Norths’ try against the run of play that sealed victory for the Shoremen and just about summed up the Rats’ season in one frustrating play. 

Norths opened the scoring with a penalty goal, then extended their lead with a try to prop George Thornton who ran straight over several Warringah defenders. 

The Shoremen kicked another penalty goal and took a 13-0 lead to the break after Warringah missed an opportunity to score just before half time. 

The Rats’ finally opened their account when Ben Marr and Roan Frostwick combined to score minutes into the second half. 

But Norths’ looked like they would cruise to victory when Nathan Russell scooted down the short side and ran 40 metres to score and give his side a 20-7 lead in the 55th minute. 

Warringah had other plans though and scored from a pick and drive in the 74th minute to reduce the deficit to just six points with five minutes to play

The Rats worked their way down the field and looked on the verge of scoring a late try and potentially stealing victory before everything went wrong. 

Attacking on Norths’ 22-metre line, Warringah spilled the ball and Nick Duffy kicked deep downfield. 

The ball then bounced on its point, over Ben Marr’s head and into the arms of Winiata Cherrington who raced away to score a try against the run of play and seal victory for the home side. 

Warringah ended up scoring after the full time siren through Wes Thomas and Marr nailed the conversion from the sideline, but it was too little, too late on another frustrating afternoon for the Rats. 

Eastwood 50-22 Southern Districts 

Eastwood overcame a scrappy first half performance to claim an important bonus point win over Southern Districts at Forshaw on Saturday. 

The Rebels handed Eastwood their first try of the afternoon when Ed Craig scored in the third minute following a Souths’ mistake at fullback. 

But the Rebels responded and led 10-7 in the 33rd minute following a penalty goal and try to Bayley Kuenzle.

Eastwood responded with a try to Jack Metcalf off a nice short ball from Tane Edmed, then led 26-10 early in the second half after two quick tries after the half time break. 

Edmed split the defence in the 42nd minute to score, then Nick Russell crossed to give his side a 16 point advantage. 

Souths responded with a try and looked certain to score again and reduce the deficit to just four points in the 55th minute, but a Will Thomas pass to one of several open attackers was intercepted and Eastwood raced 95 metres to score and break the Rebels’ hearts. 

Late tries to Pama Fou and Joe Pincus sealed a bonus point win for the Woodies, who are third but struggling for consistency. 

Eastwood haven’t won back to back matches since round nine this year.