Prelim Preview: A Familiar Foe Awaits

By Angus Hayman

Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club hosts its first ever Shute Shield prelim final this weekend and if that wasn’t already enough to be excited by it will be played against a familiar foe who less than a month ago stole a victory on home turf.

It had to be Sydney Uni. The students not only pinched a win after the bell with a successful penalty goal but they also took the Roden Cutler Shield with them.

If that isn’t enough to fuel revenge this Saturday, then probably nothing will.

But while the loss still stings, Easts Director of Rugby and first grade coach Dan England knows his side need to show they have learned from the lessons of their last meeting.

“We had multiple big leads in that game,” England said.

“I think we led by 19 or 20 points, probably twice in that game. So we definitely took our foot off the throttle.”

England believes the circumstances of that match also reflected where Easts were at the time, still experimenting with different ways of playing and giving themselves freedom to attack.

“We're still trying to explore different ways that we can play and different things we can do,” he said.

“So we gave the guys some opportunities, and we're still playing really open, flaring footy, where that style won’t suit the full 80 minutes of intensity that finals footy demands” 

“But its a good wake-up call that we need to be on for 80 minutes, and we can't just assume that a 50-minute performance is going to do the job.”

The last meeting showed the Beasties are capable of breaking the students open, with several tries coming from turnovers and broken play.

England wants to see that attacking instinct remain, but with greater structure around it.

“I definitely think we're just going to have to be more efficient and more productive in the A zone and at set piece,” he said.

“Obviously, they sort of damaged our set piece a little bit, so that's going to be way more important.”

But that does not mean Easts will abandon the attacking rugby that has helped get them this far.

Instead, England wants the side’s ability to attack broken play, transition and turnover ball to become part of its finals formula.

“Being able to attack broken play, attack transition, and turnover ball in the home and away season hopefully sets a precedent for this upcoming game where if there are any opportunities to break out from the more stiff finals like brand of footy, they'll be able to do it.”

Nick Grigg

It would be wrong to not acknowledge that the visitors will arrive at Woollahra Oval without Waratahs captain Matt Philip, whose influence has been significant throughout the backhalf of the season.

Philip has been a key figure around a young Uni squad, but England does not expect his absence to dramatically alter the way the students approach the game.

“It's obviously disappointing for Matt because I think he's been a massive impact on that squad,” England said.

“But they've had a very similar squad, I guess, for the last sort of 10 or 11 weeks with guys off a bench and not much movement.

“So I think for Uni, it'll be a pretty seamless change.”

Eamon Doyle and Joe Manglesdorf are among those capable of stepping into the void, both remaining within the Waratahs’ full-time system.

“Whilst on paper it's probably a drop-off, I don't think there'll be much difference in regards to what Uni can do and the way they play,” England said.

For Easts, however, there are plenty of reasons to feel confident.

Nick Grigg has hit his best form at precisely the right time, with England pointing to the Scotland international’s decade-plus professional career as a major asset as the season reaches its biggest moments.

“He's really, really shown his professionalism and experience over the past four or five weeks,” England said.

“And he's really starting to rub off on the boys as well at training, which is pretty cool.”

Then there is Teddy Wilson.

Teddy Wilson

England's assessment of the young halfback could hardly be more emphatic.

“Undoubtedly, I think Teddy Wilson's the best player in the competition at the moment,” he said.

“Anytime we can give him half a chance or an opportunity, we're definitely going to be the better for it.”

And perhaps the most fitting story heading into the club’s biggest game yet is that of Brynn Davies.

Davies’ journey has taken him from moments in fourth grade to first grade over roughly two and a half years, with his persistence finally rewarded last week when he earned another start and produced a man-of-the-match performance.

“He's worked his way from time in fourth grade all the way up to first grade after a span of about two and a half years,” England said.

“By no fault of his own, he's worked hard. He's committed himself. He's dropped some shifts at work or left early to make sure he can commit fully to training.

“But he's just taken every opportunity he's got.”

Bryn Davies

Now, another opportunity awaits.

For Davies, Wilson, Grigg and the rest of the Beasties, Saturday is a chance to turn the lessons of that painful Ladies’ Day defeat into something far more valuable.

A place in the Shute Shield grand final for the third year in a row.