Mouthwatering Matchup: Bragging Rights on the Wing

By Angus Hayman

There are plenty of reasons to get excited about Easts' clash with Sydney Uni this Saturday.

The Sir Roden Cutler Shield is on the line. Ladies' Day will pack out Woollahra Oval. Uni are fresh off a statement win over Warringah. And then there's one matchup that almost deserves its own billing.

Easts winger Ollie Dawkins will line up against Sydney Uni flyer Benjy Joseland. Not to mention on the Ladies Day Marquee side of the oval (which I’m sure they planned in advance). 

Between them they've crossed for 35 tries this season, with Dawkins sitting on 15 and Joseland leading the Shute Shield on a staggering 20. Remarkably, it is the only matchup Dawkins has faced all season where his opposite winger has scored more tries than he has.

The funny part? They know each other pretty well. 

The pair crossed paths through the Great Britain Sevens program, even rooming together during a European tournament, and the friendly banter has carried over into the Shute Shield.

"He always reminds me how he's scored more tries than me," Dawkins laughed.

"But we've got a running joke that he can't do it in the big games, so we'll see whether he can do it this weekend."

For Dawkins, though, the season has been about far more than tries.

Growing up just outside West London, he came through the Wasps academy before signing professionally as an 18-year-old. When Wasps collapsed into administration, he found himself searching for a new opportunity, spending time with Ampthill before joining the Great Britain Sevens setup.

While the experience was valuable, it wasn't quite the fit he hoped for.

"I've worked out I'm probably not that great at sevens," he joked.

When the GB program shifted away from being fully professional, Dawkins started looking elsewhere. A conversation with former Easts player Ben Batch, combined with the lure of Sydney, was all the convincing he needed.

"I did a full pre-season with Worcester Warriors before coming out, but I'd rather be here. It's way nicer in Sydney than Worcester… I can promise you that."

Safe to say, it has been a decision that has worked out for everyone. Dawkins has quickly become one of Easts' most dangerous attacking weapons, but perhaps more importantly, he's rediscovered why he started playing rugby in the first place.

"I absolutely love it here," he said. "I didn't really know what to expect, but it's been unbelievable. The coaching staff, the analysis, the GPS, everything is pretty much like a full-time professional setup.

"It's kind of just got me back enjoying playing again. It felt like a chore for a while, whereas now I love it. I reckon I could be here for quite a long time."

His performances suggest he'd be welcome.

The Englishman has consistently found the tryline throughout the season and has added another genuine strike weapon to an Easts backline that already boasts plenty of firepower. Standing in the way this weekend, however, is a Sydney Uni side beginning to find its rhythm at exactly the right time.

Their dominant win over Warringah last weekend sent a reminder to the rest of the competition that the Students remain a genuine finals threat, making Saturday one of the biggest tests Easts have faced in recent weeks.

Dawkins knows exactly what is coming.

"It seems like Uni have really started clicking these last couple of weeks," he said.

"We know how big this week is. We felt very sharp training this week, everyone's locked into it and we're up for it big time."

Of course, the occasion extends beyond the 80 minutes.

For Dawkins, this will be his first Easts Ladies' Day, a fixture he has heard plenty about since arriving in January.

"Everyone's been talking to me about how big Ladies' Day is," he said.

"We want to put on a show for the crowd."

But if that wasn’t enough, there is also another piece of silverware at stake.

"We're desperate to keep hold of the Sir Roden Cutler Shield. I think we've had it for nearly two years now and we don't want to lose it at home."

Whether the headline act ends up being Dawkins or Joseland remains to be seen.

One thing is certain: if the pair continue scoring tries at the rate they have all season, don't be surprised if their little running joke has another layer of bragging rights by full-time.

Purchase tickets to Ladies' Day here.