Hunter, Eastwood, Gordon, Western Sydney and Randwick claimed impressive wins in round six, while Easts produced their best performance of the season to beat Uni on Ladies Day.

A third of the way through the regular season, just seven competition points separates second and 10th on a super tight Shute Shield ladder.

Eastwood 46-35 Northern Suburbs

Eastwood survived three yellow cards in the final 20 minutes to beat Norths 46-36 and claim just their third win of the season. 

Norths jumped away to an early 10-0 lead in a high scoring first half following tries to Reece Mau’u and Seb Cameron. But Eastwood quickly responded, first with a penalty goal, then through a try to Michael Icely. 

Eastwood’s two wingers then combined on the same side of the field, with Daniel Ala throwing the final pass for a Sione Hopoate try to give the Woodies a 15-10 lead. 

Norths hit back with a try to Nick Duffy, set up by Reece Mau’u, but failed to kick any of their three first half conversions and went to the break down 25-15 after an intercept try to Daniel Ala. 

Jude Gibbs scored early in the second half to reduce the deficit to three points but from that point on Eastwood took control. 

The Woodies controlled possession and territory and kept play deep in Norths’ half. The visitors scored first through Sione Hopoate, then through Lachie Albert on the back of an impressive run from centre Enoki Muliufi to take a 39-22 lead. 

Poor discipline then swung momentum back to Norths. The Shoremen scored through Gary Bautz, then again from a pushover penalty try against a 13-man Eastwood outfit to reduce the deficit to three points. 

But despite receiving three yellow cards in quick succession, the Woodies somehow managed to close the match out, with Muliufi barging over from close range in the final minutes to score his second try of the afternoon and seal an important 46-36 victory. 

Hunter 52-20 Warringah

Hunter produced their most complete performance of the 2023 season to beat Warringah 52-20 and move five points clear at the top of the Shute Shield ladder. 

After a tight opening 10 minutes that saw both sides cross for converted tries, the Hunter forwards took control scoring two tries from driving mauls. The second was started 38 metres out from their try line and is one of the better forwards tries you’ll see. 

Leading 21-10, the visitors put their foot down and scored with aggression, then with skill. Backrower Chlayton Frans stripped the ball to set up Ueta Tufuga for a five pointer, then Issac Ulberg scored in the corner following a cross field kick to the opposite sideline. 

After leading 33-10 at half time, the Wildfires extended their lead with a try to Tom Watson early in the second half, then sealed the result with an intercept try to Deon Evans-Ao to lead 47-10 after 50 minutes. 

Warringah scored twice in the second half through Esera Chee Kam and Roan Frostwick to add some respectability to the scoreline, but the result was never in doubt. 

Hunter added an eighth try in the final minutes to claim a dominant 52-20 victory. 

Gordon 22-17 West Harbour 

Gordon kicked a penalty goal with 10 minutes remaining to seal a hard fought 22-17 victory over an impressive West Harbour outfit at Concord. 

The visitors opened the scoring midway through the first half when replacement scrumhalf Conor Dever threw a clever dummy and found clear space before offloading to lock John Akauola to score near the posts. 

But West Harbour responded on the stroke of half time with a penalty try from a 5 metre scrum to level the scores at the break. 

The Pirates took the lead through a penalty goal early in the second half, but Gordon quickly responded with a try to Brandon Quinn. 

The Stags then extended their lead to 19-10 with a try from a driving maul in the 60th minute. 

West Harbour backrower Prez Tufuga ran a lovely line to break the Gordon defence and score almost untouched and reduce the deficit to two points. 

But Gordon extended their lead with a penalty goal in the 68th minute following a strange offside penalty that appeared to be called by the touch judge. 

West Harbour had opportunities in the final 10 minutes, but Gordon’s defence held strong in a gritty 22-17 win. 

Western Sydney 42-25 Southern Districts

Western Sydney overcame a difficult week to claim an impressive 42-25 victory over Southern Districts to move within two competition points of the top six. 

On Back to St George Day at Forshaw, the Rebels opened the scoring through fullback Issac Ratumaitavuki-Kneepens before the Two Blues got on top. 

With forwards and backs interplaying brilliantly, Western Sydney took the lead following tries to Rilloy Suesue, then to winger Tailiki Nadredre on the back of a lovely inside ball from fullback 

Otu Mausia. 

Souths kicked two penalty goals to reduce the deficit to three points at half time, but couldn’t have started the second half any worse, dropping the kick off and gifting Two Blues flanker Tavite Gadeisuva a try just 11 seconds after the break. 

Leading 21-11, Western Sydney went further ahead following tries to lock Manasa Rokosuka and a second to flanker Tavite Gadeisuva, both scored on the back of dominant scrums deep in Rebels territory. 

Souths scored two tries in the final 10 minutes to add some respectability to the scoreline, but a late try to Mausia sealed the bonus point victory. 

Randwick 34-27 Manly

Randwick consolidated their spot in the Shute Shield top six with a gritty 34-27 victory over Manly at Coogee Oval. 

Both sides looked to their driving mauls early in the match, with Manly scoring first, before Randwick responded through prop Oli Adkins who rolled off a maul to level the scores. 

Manly took a 12-7 lead to the break when backrower Nick Brown ran untouched from a maul to score, then extended their lead to 17-7 minutes into the second half following a try to No.8 Ben Gleeson. 

Randwick hit back rather fortuitously. Attacking deep in Manly territory, a pass slipped through the hands of lock Mike Etete and popped up perfectly for hooker Ben Sugars who raced away to score.

The home side levelled the scores at 17-a piece with a penalty goal, then took the lead with a penalty try from a dominant driving maul. 

Randwick were unlucky not to be awarded another penalty try minutes later when Ben Houston was tackled without the ball, but teammate Cormac Daly scored two phases later to put the Galloping Greens up 31-17. 

With a Randwick player in the sin bin, Manly scored from a driving maul to reduce the deficit to 7 points inside the final 5 minutes, but a dropped ball from the restart that led to an offside penalty gifted Randwick a penalty goal and the victory. 

Eastern Suburbs 47-35 Sydney Uni

Eastern Suburbs scored four consecutive tries in the second half to set up an impressive 47-35 victory over Sydney Uni on Ladies Day at Woollahra. 

19-year old Sydney Uni debutant Ronan Leahy had a dream start to his Shute Shield career, scoring in the fourth minute and setting up another two tries to give the Students a 21-7 lead after 15 minutes. 

But Easts fought their way back into the match, with centre Mosese Tuipulotu throwing the final pass for two tries to level the scores as 21-21 at the break. 

With the match in the balance, it was another 19-year old that took control. Back from Junior Wallabies camp, Easts flyhalf Jack Bowen threw a beautiful 30 metres cut out ball to winger Jack Mossman to put his side ahead. 

Backrower Josh Bokser then scored from a charge down, before Bowen threw another lovely flat ball to Tuipulotu who offloaded to Archie Gavin for a third try in 15 minutes. 

A driving maul try in the 70th minute, then sealed the result. 

While Uni scored two late tries through wingers Tom Morrison and Eddy King, it was well and truly Easts’ day. 

Easts are now sixth after claiming their first win since round two, while Uni are 10th on a congested competition ladder.