Sydney University
Vs
Southern Districts
28 June 2025
By Bruce China Lin
I see Red was a 1978 hit song by New Zealand rock band Split Enz. But last Saturday at Camperdown the referee saw yellow as the colour in vogue as Southern Districts received three yellow cards in a 58-22 loss to University.
But it was not a shellacking entirely as a dogged Souths stifled the Students play during the first half.
University with their big pack were grinding downfield which caused the Rebels resorting to desperate drastic measures to thwart the Students momentum. Referee Mr Tonks awarded penalties for the misdemeanours committed and fullback Jack Matthews kicked two early penalties for a 6-0 lead.
But being unpredictable Souths clawed back. A scrum which was actually back pedalling was spread to the open. University did not mark up and the Rebels turned the ball back inside to score a simple converted try. Souths ahead 7-6 but for how long?
University were executing their traditional rucking game perfectly. This caused the first yellow card to be issued half way through the half. The ball was directed into touch five metres out. University’s driving maul was again illegally collapsed by Souths and a penalty try was awarded along with another yellow card to the Rebels. Two simultaneously in the bin was a moment of pure *pulchritudinous not often enjoyed by the Camperdown intelligentsia.
The Rebels did kick a penalty to trail 14-10 then the moment everyone waits for soon arrived. The machine winger Benjy Joseland decided it was time to have fun. Phases were being executed inside the Rebels quarter back pedalling them. Then the ball was spun wide through the hands and ultimately received by Joseland. The big winger lengthened his strides and soon he was burning down the northern touch line to score. The difficult wide conversion was kicked superbly by fullback Jack Matthews to the collective cheers of “Yay Jack, go Bubba” in the stand by his extended family mother Ruth, grandparents Julia and Tom. The only voice missing was uncle Neville!
But to their credit Souths persevered and on the cusp of halftime spread the ball wide towards the grandstand and scored a converted try to just trail University 20-17.
University on this day had guests from the Rattlesnakes rugby club of Texas currently slithering their way downunder. The lads from the longhorn state were enjoying the atmosphere of rugby on a winters Saturday at Camperdown. Chicken schnitzel rolls and Southern Highland ales was a change from eating grits, smoked brisket and Budweiser.
University started the second stanza at a rate of knots. An attack down the blindside in the first minute saw the third yellow card against the Rebels for again killing play. A touchfinder saw a series of rucks and loosehead prop Paddy Tagg score a converted try.
After this appetizer the Students proceeded to apply the * mise en place for further tries. Big secondrower Clem Halaholo who was excelling today splintered through tackles to reach over and score. University continued with this guaranteed formula of rucking, picking and driving to score further tries. But a lapse in concentration gifted Souths another an easy try in the northern corner.
But University kept the points coming with further tries by backs and forwards at fulltime the penultimate try was scored by the half man half bison hooker Declan Moore for the final score of 58-22. A valuable bonus point victory was achieved today.
In the happy dressing room head coach Todd Louden was surprisingly content with the dour first half, “The damage had been done in the first half although it might not look like it. Very happy with the second half and they stuck to what we wanted to do. We also had two new debutants.”
The two debutants in question were accomplished Japanese winger Toshiki Kuwayama on sabbatical from the Toshiba Brave Lupus Club and halfback the Armidale kid Olly Roy Schmude who is also a man of deep thought. ”Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” said the Schmude operator.
Next week it does not get any easier when we go up against traditional rivals Randwick at Coogee Oval.
* Pulchritudinous – extremely physically beautiful.
*Mise en place– a French culinary term ‘everything in it’s place.’