The Sydney University Football Club first grade team ground out an important 12-0 victory over Warringah in torrential rain at University No. 1 oval last Saturday.
In atrocious conditions, the victory had added significance as University played for three quarters of the match a man short due to the red carding of flanker David Hickey for an alleged elbow to an opposition player.
With things looking grim, University dug deep and applied some outstanding defence. The half time score of 0-0 was a blessing and time for the University coaching team to devise some fresh tactics for the second half.
The second half started off like the first half with both sides trying to develop some momentum in the slushy conditions. But with a dominant lineout, University gradually commenced to cross the advantage line
In a moment of joy for University but gloom for Warringah, a kick inside the Warringah quarter was not regathered by the Warringah winger. The Warringah winger bizarrely kicked out the ball dead in goal. The result, a five metre scrum from the Warringah line and the Students pumped up to get over the line.
The ensuing scrum allowed University to commence pick and drives towards the Warringah tryline. After a succession of battering charges by the Students forwards, second rower Tom Heslop eventually crashed over. The conversion was missed but University issued a significant psychological advantage over Warringah with that try. Sensing a victory on the horizon, University continued to grind away up field while simultaneously trying to cut off any chance of Warringah positioning themselves in a viable attacking position.
As if the rugby gods were on the Students side, Warringah were later penalised for killing the ball at the ruck. The referee sin binned the Warringah suspect and numbers were now even. University were later able to camp themselves in the Warringah quarter for the killer blow. From a scrum, the ball was swung towards the right wing where University’s Nathan Trist was positioned. Trist applied tip toed around the opposition to touch down in the score board corner with a plague of Warringah “Rats” hanging off him. Five eighth Dan Kelly converted from the sidelines and University saw out the remainder of the game as 12-0 victors.
Head coach Todd Louden was happy in the Students dressing room on a hard earned victory. “I thought the boys really dug deep today and the win will go a long way towards the rest of the season,” said Louden.
Sydney University 12 (Heslop, Trist tries, Kelly con) def Warringah 0.
