Tim Davidson will lead his side into it’s ninth successive Grand Final after victory over Southern Districts – Photo: seiserphotography.com

by Paul Cook –

Sydney University have fired themselves into another Grand Final with a comprehensive 47-19 victory over Southern Districts at Uni Oval No.1. The Rebels came into the game hindered by the loss of the injured Jed Holloway, Jono Hayes and Apo Latunipulu and the Wallaby call-up for Nick Cummins, but that shouldn’t detract from a polished and clinical performance by Uni, who put on a show for the Varsity faithful as they recovered from an early deficit to build a 26-5 advantage at the break – a quick-fire triple salvo from Nick Phipps, Tom Kingston and Tom English between the 15th and 25th minutes the catalyst for the the win.

Souths fought back hard in the second half with another early score to get within two converted tries and with their tails up and some gaps starting to appear, Uni were wary of a comeback. However, a sin bin for Lopeti Timani halted the visitors’ progress and a try within a minute of the flanker’s departure from replacement Peter Betham effectively ended the contest, giving retiring captain Tim Davidson the chance to lead his side to a ninth successive title decider.

Perhaps mindful of how Manly caught the Students unawares in the opening quarter of their titanic battle two weeks previously, Souths came out intent on playing at pace and trying to stretch Uni across the park but early pressure brought no reward as Rohan Saifoloi’s penalty drifted wide.

They did then open the scoring but it was a product of fortune not creation. Bernard Foley attempted a kick in behind as the Rebels line advanced but found Saifoloi’s midriff instead and the fleet footed pivot scooped up to race away over half the field and dot down.

Lopeti Timani was Souths’ best outlet for much of the game – Photo: seiserphotography.com

His conversion attempt could have been helped if he had angled his run to the line to chew off some more metres and he subsequently shanked kick no.2, compounding his unusually errant display with the boot with a third miss from another penalty a few minutes later.

Ten minutes gone and they could have been 10pts to the good and such is the way against the polished Students that they don’t give you a second bite at the cherry, you have to make every opportunity count.

Three tries in the next 10 minutes was a savage response as the home side flexed their muscles, showed their flair out wide and Foley gave a couple of examples as to why he may well be looked at soon as the man to inspire the Wallabies from their current attacking malaise.

He took it to the line in the 15th minute, stepped off his right and found the gap before feeding halves partner Nick Phipps to the posts. A portent of things to come for the Waratahs next season perhaps?

Four minutes later, he played a part as Uni went through the hands with aplomb to carve a path to the line for Tom Kingston and in the 25th minute, it was his neat reverse ball that put the pacy Greg Jeloudev into space, the young winger then releasing Lachie Mitchell down the touchline before Tom English put on the afterburners for try no.3.

Foley converted two of his three conversions, Uni were suddenly 19-5 ahead and Souths were in a state of shock.

Lopeti Timani looked most likely to lift the Rebels from their slumber with a number of damaging hit-ups but the 21-year-old wrecking ball doesn’t have the confidence in his own ability to make the most of his physical attributes. Yet.

A devastating ball runner that regularly breaks the line, he should be smashing straight over people instead of always waiting for an offload and his incomplete thrusts aside, the Rebels weren’t throwing many punches.

Nick Phipps on his way to scoring Uni’s opener – Photo: seiserphotography.com

Another try for the Students five minutes before the break just about brought an end to hostilities. Uni reverted to their historical type, keeping it tight and rumbling to the line in classic style before Paddy Ryan was too strong and too hungry for Souths to hold out and Foley converted.

Staring down a 21pt deficit, the Rebels had to score first after oranges if they were to hold out any hope of a comeback, but it was all Uni for the opening 5 minutes as they put together phase upon phase of pressure. However, a line break from Saifoloi that was sustained by Andrew Leota got them into the red zone and when it was spread wide, Alex Gibbon showed why he’s crossed 20 times this season, holding off Foley and Mitchell to dive for the corner.

A terrific sideline conversion from Saifoloi – he must have changed boots at half-time – made it 26-12 and the visitors sensed the merest chink of light at the end of the tunnel. With their tails up, they suddenly started to find some gaps and all they needed was to back themselves with support runners in order to profit but just as they looked a chance to play themselves back in, Lopeti Timani was sin binned in the 55th minute for throwing a punch at the bottom of a ruck.

And that was most firmly that.

Uni still had the luxury of replacing Mitchell and the hardworking Liam Winton with Waratahs Peter Betham and Will Skelton and it was Betham’s first touch that brought about try no.5 as Phipps ran off the back of a line out to feed the elusive runner to the chalk.

From there it was mere semantics. Sitaleki Timani coughed an easy one up for Dave Dennis to intercept and go under the posts in the 58th minute as Souths forlornly chased the game and they were the architects of their own demise once more seven minutes from time when a Phipps tackle forced replacement Faleula Finau to feed Betham by mistake and he toyed with the Rebels defence before popping a pass up out of the back of his hand for the arriving Kingston to dive over for his second.

The last word went to Souths as replacement Uni flyhalf Stefano Hunt fired a pass across his own 22 and straight into the arms of the predatory Saifoloi. Nevertheless, it’s Mad Monday time for the boys from the Shire while the Students march into their ninth Grand Final in a row.

Sydney University 47 (Tom Kingston 2, Nick Phipps, Tom English, Paddy Ryan, Dave Dennis, Peter Betham tries; Bernard Foley 5 cons, Nick Phipps con) d Southern Districts (Rohan Saifoloi 2, Alex Gibbon tries; Rohan Saifoloi 2 cons)