Sydney University
Vs
Gordon
21 June 2025
By Bruce China Lin
A scoreline that had more twists and turns than playing Saturday night Twister at a high school sleepover occurred last Saturday at Chatswood Oval against Gordon.
Gordon with a fast start led University 21-3 . Some relatively easy tries were scored by Gordon to reach this early scoreline. But University finally composed themselves. A penalty was exploited by the erudite five eighth Sam Bignold. Bignold raced up to execute a quick tap and caught Gordon napping. A series of ball movements down the blind side saw the ball finally received by winger Sepesa Loga-Tarogi. The dashing winger backed up to score for University’s first converted try.
University found their momentum and another pick and drive try was scored just before half time. Scoreline at halftime was 21-17 in a grinding game.
Gordon again started fast with another try to an overlap. Then University was granted a five metre lineout. Once the ball was brought down University’s surge was prodigious and a try was beckoning. But a Gordon player decided to commit a foul by deliberately collapsing the maul. Referee Mr Quinn entrusted with * puissant awarded a penalty try and yellow card to again show a change in the scoreline just favouring Gordon 26-24.
Then a moment of adlib rugby caused the University coaches to have early onset of *PGH. A loose pass towards the touchline was flicked back however Basson the Gordon number eight was looming and gleefully secured the ball to race away to score. The conversion was missed and Gordon were ahead now 31-24.
University rallied again with hard rucking inside the Gordon five metre zone. The ball was shifted wide and again winger Loga-Tarogi applied a hit and spin to plant the ball in the corner. The difficult wide conversion was no trouble for fullback Jack Matthews despite the Gordon hecklers behind him. 31-31 was now the score in a game more undulating than seeing Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un on each end of a see saw!
But for reasons that shall never be known University let their foot off the accelerator . An offside penalty was kicked. Then near the closing stages of the game a rush down the blindside from a scrum saw an easy Gordon try to end the game at 41-31.
Frustrating beyond imagination how this game was for the taking. Eliminating mistakes and concentration will need to be ironed out before next week’s home game against Southern Districts.
*Puissant – having great power or influence.
*PGH- premature greying hair.