Welcome back to Club Corner, where rugby.com.au brings you the latest from Australia’s premier grassroots competitions.
Eastern Suburbs and Manly remain unbeaten in the Shute Shield while Hospital Cup heavyweights Brothers and Souths played out an absolute humdinger at Crosby Park.
In the nation’s capital, Wests Lions produced a thrilling win over defending champions Gungahlin while Victoria’s Dewar Shield roared back to life with reigning premiers Harlequins rolling Endeavour Hills in their 2023 GF rematch.
Western Australia’s top competition also kicked off last weekend with Palmyra opening their title defence with a Round 1 win over Southern Lions.
Read on for all the action across Week 3 in clubland!
Brothers 26 def Souths 22
Defending premiers Brothers were made to fight hard for maximum points from a blockbuster clash with the in form Magpies.
Souths led 15-14 at half time with forward duo Callum Lauder and Kohan Herbert and Brothers pair Grason Makara and Brad Hemopo all crossing the chalk.
Further tries to Quentin Raravula and Will Wilson saw the Brethren shoot ahead midway through the second stanza before Finnegan Hearn bagged Souths’ third from a Tye James break to set up a grandstand finish with Brothers grimly defending their goal line and forcing a knock-on in the 82nd minute.
Wests 43 def Bond University 32
Wests head into their bye weekend unbeaten following a seven-try rout of Bond Uni at the Canal.
The Bullsharks bit hard early to lead 11-0 but were quickly brought to heel as the Bulldogs went bananas, laying on 38 points in just 18 minutes.
Bond hit back three consecutive tries to trail 38-32 with 20 minutes to play before former Wallaby winger Henry Speight crossed late to ice Wests’ away win.
GPS 28 def UQ 22
The boot of Mitchell Trealeaven was the only thing separating difference GPS and UQ as the hosts galloped home by six points at Yoku Road.
Trealeaven’s 13-point haul helped GPS successfully retain the Halley Appleby Cup as a five-try opening half descended into chaos with three yellow cards after oranges.
UQ fought back hard to cross the whitewash with two players in the bin but couldn’t wrestle back a lead, Treleaven’s 80th minute penalty rubbing salt into the wound.
Norths 20 draw Sunnybank 20
Norths and Sunnybank couldn’t be separated after 82 minutes with the attempted matchwinner from Dragons centre France Pona bouncing off the uprights.
The Dragons outscored Norths four tries to two but were denied at least five more tries as the Eagles bravely repelled wave after wave of attack on their line.
Sunnybank’s Kitione Taliga looked to have sealed it with the Dragon’s bonus-point try in overtime but a desperate charge from the entire Norths pack put enough pressure on Pona to shank the conversion attempt, leaving the sides locked 20-all at Shaw Road.
Click here for further Hospital Cup coverage
Round 4 Hospital Cup Fixtures
UQ v Brothers
Sunnybank v GPS
Norths v Bond Uni
Souths v Easts
Wests (BYE)
Eastwood 20 def Warringah 17
Woodies needed plenty of grit and a little sevens magic to see off Warringah by three points at TG Milner Field.
The Rats looked dangerous with two early tries before Aussie Sevens squad member James McGregor scored a spectacular solo try to launch a second-half fightback with Harry Turner also crossing the chalk.
Warringah flyers Ben Marr (two tries) and Harry Elms (one try, one assist) threatened to steal it late but the hosts defence held firm in a dramatic final five minutes of wet weather rugby.
Gordon 29 def Hunter Wildfires 9
The Highlanders returned to winning ways with a bonus-point victory over Hunter at Chatswood Oval.
The Wildfires led 9-7 after 20 minutes but failed to trouble the scorers from there as Gordon laid on two maul tries and a penalty goal to lead 15-9 at halftime.
Two Gordon yellow cards should’ve been enough for Hunter to scrape ahead after half time but the hosts held firm with tries to number eight Presley Tufuga and Ben Pollack sealing the deal.
Manly 29 def West Harbour 14
The Marlins remain unbeaten after a fast start sparked their bonus-point win over West Harbour at Manly Oval.
Flanker Sam Daly needed just 40 seconds to open Manly’s account before backrow partner Ben Gleeson bagged a first-half double, the second coming off an impressive carry from the scrum base.
A dour second half saw the Marlins eventually bag a fourth try out wide to Fraser Toohey while Pirates Will McDonald and Sione Tau finished with tries either side of the break.
Randwick 27 def Sydney University 8
Defending premiers Randwick are back on the horse following their 19-point win over Sydney Uni at Coogee Oval.
The students were left to rue an early yellow card with Wicks Angus Houston putting Ky Willoughby away untouched, though Josh Calvert hit back late in the half for a 10-5 scoreline at oranges.
Just two points separated the sides with 15 to play before the boot of Andrew Deegan and late tries to Theo Fourie and Timothy Sippel saw the Galloping Greens home.
Northern Suburbs 32 def Southern Districts 0
The Shoremen made light work of heavy conditions to keep Souths scoreless at North Sydney Oval.
Norths led 20-0 at the break with flyhalf Jude Gibbs converting tries to Edward Timpson and James Margan alongside two penalty goals.
Hooker Sam Kitchen rolled over shortly after half time to extend the hosts’ lead before a scything Carrick McDonough run put Roan Frostwick away untouched for the bonus point try with 15 minutes remaining.
Eastern Suburbs 35 def Western Sydney 13
Eastern Suburbs remain atop the Shute Shield ladder after downing the previously unbeaten Two Blues by 22 points at Woollahra Oval.
Western Sydney looked dangerous but were left to rue ill discipline and a late Beasties charge with the hosts bagging two tries in the final five minutes.
Playmaker Jack Bowen (three penalties, three conversions, one try assist) impressed while hooker Moli Sooaemalelagi scored maul tries in both halves.
Click here for further Shute Shield coverage
Round 4 Shute Shield Fixtures
Manly v Warringah (Anzac Day)
Gordon v Sydney Uni
West Harbour v Northern Suburbs
Southern Districts v Western Sydney
Hunter Wildfires v Eastwood
Randwick v Eastern Suburbs
Wests remain unbeaten in the nation’s capital following their 29-26 win over defending champions Gungahlin at Jamison Oval.
The Lions were sparked by Brumbies playmaker Declan Meredith, who laid on a try, three conversions and a vital penalty goal while the Eagles managed to nab two losing bonus points with two late tries.
In other Canberra results, Royals and Vikings registered bonus point wins over Uni-Norths and Queanbeyan respectively.
Click here for further John I Dent Cup results and fixtures.
Southern Suburbs, Brighton, and Burnside all remain unbeaten after Round 3 while Barossa and Adelaide Uni played out a two-point thriller at Waite Oval.
Barossa and Woodville also bagged maximum points from Round 1.
Barossa’s return to Premier Grade deserves a shoutout with Amininiasi Vutulevu scoring twice to anchor the Rams’ 25-12 win over Elizabeth.
Click here for further RUSA coverage.
Reigning premiers Palmyra kickstarted their title defence in style, rolling Southern Lions 39-22 in Round 1 of Perth’s premier men’s competition.
Nedlands led the ladder early after a 43-19 romp over Bayswater while 2023 grand finalists West Scarborough also posted early wins alongside Associates and Cottesloe.
Click here for further Rugby WA coverage.
2024 premiers Harlequins loom the early pace-setters in Melbourne following a 36-point win over Endeavour Hills in their grand final rematch.
Moorabbin also banked maximum points from a seven-point win over Melbourne Unicorns while University and Power House beat Box Hill and Footscray respectively to open their seasons.
Click here for further Rugby Victoria coverage.
