Sydney University’s Second Grade crowned their 2026 season with the Colin Caird Shield, defeating Randwick 47–33 in a high-scoring grand final at Leichhardt Oval.
The premiership provided the defining highlight of a weekend that saw four University teams contest grand finals, bringing both celebration and disappointment for the Students.
Second Grade’s success also continued a proud recent connection with the trophy. Uni claimed the Shield in 2023 with victory over Manly; three years later, a different opponent stood between the Students and the title.
Against Randwick on Saturday 5 September, Uni produced a 47-point performance to secure the premiership by 14 points. With 80 points scored between the teams, the decider delivered an emphatic finish to the Seconds’ campaign.
Elsewhere at Leichhardt Oval, Third Grade fell 42–12 to Manly in the Henderson Shield decider, while Fourth Grade finished just one converted try adrift of Eastern Suburbs, losing 26–19 in the Henderson Cup final.
Attention shifted to Coogee Oval on Sunday 6 September, where Second Colts faced Warringah for the Shell Trophy. The Students went down 35–24, ending their campaign as runners-up.
Those defeats were difficult finishes, but reaching four grand finals gave the club a substantial presence across the season’s final weekend. It also followed an encouraging First Grade campaign under head coach John Manenti and fellow coaches Liam Winton and Chris De Looze.
First Grade’s season had ended a week earlier with a 38–31 preliminary-final loss to Eastern Suburbs. In his club report, Bruce Lin highlighted the coaching group’s impact and Uni’s return to finals after three seasons outside them,valuable context for a year that delivered progress across the grades.
For Third Grade, Fourth Grade and Second Colts, the challenge will be to build on campaigns that carried them to a premiership decider. For Second Grade, 2026 will be remembered as the year they finished the job.
Amid the mixed emotions of the grand final weekend, the Seconds gave Sydney University its moment of triumph: the Colin Caird Shield back in blue and gold hands.
