Sydney University Football Club remains on target to contest seven grand finals after Third Grade survived their semi-final at the weekend with a 39-12 win over Eastern Suburbs.
SUFC’s four grade teams will contest preliminary finals at T.G. Millner Field this weekend, while the three Colts grades will contest grand finals at Forshaw Rugby Park on Saturday.
In the Shute Shield, Sydney University First XV will meet Northern Suburbs at 3pm on Sunday after the Shoremen accounted for minor premiers Eastwood 22-17 in the elimination final. The other semi-final is between Southern Districts and Manly on Saturday.
In Second Grade, Sydney University will meet Eastwood in the major semi-final of the Colin Caird Shield on Saturday, with Manly and West Harbour fighting out the minor semi-final on Sunday.
Sydney University will meet Northern Suburbs in the major semi-final of the Third Grade (Henderson Shield) on Saturday, with Manly and Randwick contesting the minor semi-final on Sunday.
In Fourth Grade, Sydney University will meet Manly in the major semi-final of the Henderson Cup on Saturday, with Northern Suburbs and Randwick contesting the minor semi-final on Sunday.
The Colts grand finals at Forshaw Rugby Park on Saturday will feature Sydney University and Northern Suburbs Firsts fighting out the W. McMahon Memorial Shield at 3pm; with Sydney University and Eastwood Seconds contesting the Shell Trophy from 1pm, and Sydney University and Randwick in the Third Grade decider from 11.15am.
First Grade Colts will be chasing a sixth successive title. First Grade Colts have won nine of the past 10 grand finals, having gone of a run of four from 2002, lost to Eastwood in the 2006 decider and set up another unbroken run from 2007.
Second Grade Colts will be chasing a seventh consecutive premiership, while Third Grade Colts will be looking for back-to-back titles.
SUFC already has two trophies in the cabinet for 2012: the overall Club Championship Shield and the Eric Spilstead Shield for the Colts Club Championship. Sydney University has now won the Colts Club Championship a remarkable nine times in the past 10 seasons, with 2004 being the only year they missed out on the shield.
In the boilover of the season, Sydney University’s women’s team, unbeaten during the 2012 competition proper and chasing a third consecutive title, fell 7-3 to Warringah in the season decider at Granville Park on Saturday. The match featured a scoreless second half.
Scoreboard
Sydney Women’s grade competition – Grand Final
Warringah 7 d Sydney University 3 at Granville Rugby Park.
Sydney Men’s Grade competition – Week two: semi-finals
Third Grade – Henderson Shield: Sydney University 39 (Alistair King, Kurt Larsen, Harry Marples, Jack Macklin, Levi Dodd, Dan Simpson tries; Jack Macklin 3 goals, pen goal) d Eastern Suburbs 12 (Tomas Kolo, Ben Mercer tries; Blake Boulton goal).
Colts – Preliminary finals
First Grade: Sydney University 60 d Randwick 24.
Second Grade: Sydney University 34 d Southern Districts 23.
Week three: Preliminary finals (T.G. Millner Field)
Shute Shield: Sydney University v Northern Suburbs (Sunday), Southern Districts v Manly (Saturday).
Second Grade – Colin Caird Shield: Sydney University v Eastwood (Saturday); Manly v West Harbour (Sunday).
Third Grade – Henderson Shield: Sydney University v Northern Suburbs (Saturday); Manly v Randwick (Sunday).
Fourth Grade – Henderson Cup: Sydney University v Manly (Saturday); Northern Suburbs v Randwick (Sunday).
Colts – Grand Finals (Forshaw Rugby Park on Saturday, September 8, 2012)
First Grade W. McMahon Memorial Shield: Sydney University v Northern Suburbs (3pm).
Second Grade – Shell Trophy: Sydney University v Eastwood (1pm).
Third Grade – : Sydney University v Randwick (11.15am).
