Welcome to Around the Grounds, where we take a short, sharp look at the Super Rugby players in action for their respective clubs every Monday.
Lets start in Sydney, where the Shute Shield kicked off on Saturday.
SHUTE SHIELD
Bryce Hegarty played a starring role in his first club game of the year, starting at fullback, booting the winning penalty for Norths to kick their season off the right way, while former Sevens player Con Foley made his Shute Shield debut in the wing.
Waratahs’ Harry Jones and Maclean Jones suited up for Rats in the thriller.
Former Sevens player Greg Jeloudev made his return to Sydney uni after injury, along with evergreen centre Tom Carter, besting John Farnham on his career farewell tour, after announcing his retirement last year.
Over at Coogee Oval, another ex-Sevens player Sam Figg played a key role for Randwick as they beat West Harbour, scoring a super try to kick off the year, while former Force and Rebels hooker Tom Sexton ran out for the home side.
Waratahs contracted 10 Andrew Deegan did everything he could to keep himself in the minds of the NSW coaching staff, dominant in the Wicks’ win.
Brumbies short-term halfback replacement De Wet Roos was back home, playing for Southern Districts in their season opener against Manly.
RESULTS
Sydney Uni 25 Easts 16
Randwick 53 West Harbour 20
Southern Districts 17 Manly 35
Warringah 26 Northern Suburbs 28
Parramatta 10 Eastwood 37
Penrith 24 Gordon 66
QUEENSLAND PREMIER RUGBY
Cadeyrn Neville started in the second row for Bond University as they surprised Brothers in holding them to a 14-all on the Gold Coast.
Caleb Timu continued to showcase his immense talent in Souths' clash with GPS, though his hotly tipped side is yet to register a win in 2017.
Former Reds Junior Laloifi and Richard Kingi started in the back three for a Sunnybank side that was upset by Wests, the Bulldogs recording their first win of the year.
RESULTS
Easts 28 Norths 26
Wests 23 Sunnybank 19
GPS 33 Souths 10
Bond 14 Brothers 14
PINDAN PREMIER GRADE
South African flyhalf Peter Grant was doing his best for a Super Rugby recall, scoring nine of Cottesloe’s 17 points in their win over Joondalup, overcoming a two-man deficit in the back end of the game.
Francois van Wyk and Harry Scoble started for UWA, as they went down to Palmyra in the second game of the season, with Force teammate Onehunga Havili at number eight for the victors.
A double from Force-contracted back James Verity-Amm helped spark Nedlands to their first win of the season, against Perth Bayswater.
Luke Burton ran at flyhalf with Associates, slotting a conversion and a penalty as they went down to reigning premiers West Scarborough.
RESULTS
Cottesloe 17 Joondalup 10
Wanneroo 25 Kalamunda 32
Perth Bayswater 16 Nedlands 43
Associates 15 West Scarborough 46
UWA 13 Palmyra 31
JOHN I DENT CUP
Tom Staniforth, Faleelei Sione, Tom Cusack and Andy Muirhead all turned out for Royals in their rout of Uni-Norths, though the quarter failed to trouble the scorers in the 64 point win.
RESULTS
Wests 41 Easts 0
Royals 76 Uni-Norths 12
DEWAR SHIELD
Pat Leafa was shown a yellow card in Box Hill's loss to Melbourne University, who had Jonah Placid calling the shots from fullback.
RESULTS
Box Hill 24 Melbourne University 35
Footscray 17 Harlequin 42
Southern Districts 7 Moorabbin 48
