Sydney University
Vs
Randwick
12 April 2025
By Bruce China Lin
Last Saturday heralded the maiden game at the returfed hybrid grass surface at Sydney University. The billiard table pitch saw an incredible fightback by the Students against their arch-rivals Randwick.
With Randwick’s deadly running rugby on show, they were ahead 28-0 after only thirteen minutes. University could not claim fatigue but they needed to inject some spakfilla into their defence as the Wicks were exploiting holes off rucks and the defensive line. Their fullback Phillips was a reincarnation of a Road Runner with his lethal pace causing University’s coaches the onset of a premature duodenal ulcer.
The Students were hit hard and needed to counter quickly as nearly twenty five minutes had elapsed and they were scoreless. Some respite arrived following a nice weaving run down the grandstand flank by winger Benjy Joseland. Some rucking took place inside the Randwick five metre zone. Big forwards Clem Halaholo and Brad Amituanai were stopped centimetres short. But the back pedalling picking and driving ended when Waratah prop Tom Lambert surged over for a converted try. University was finally on the board after an abominable first twenty minutes.
The try was the catalyst to awake from their slumber and University worked their way back inside the Randwick 22 metre area. Again their bread and butter rucking game was applied sucking in Randwick defenders like a chux wipe. Halfback Austin Bell was distributing on either side of the ruck . When it reached outside centre Tom Watts two metres out a delicate hit and spin which would not be out of place as a backup dancer for Lady Gaga at the Coachella festival saw him score another converted try.
But Randwick’s mantra of continuity at all costs was maintained after they punished an errant University touch finder. The ball was swung wide again and simple missed tackles gave Randwick’s five eighth Hendren an easy seven points on the cusp of halftime.
University were well and truly down facing a deficit of 35-14. Randwick’s confidence in running the ball may well be rued as they decided to run inside their 22 metre zone. However winger Tom Morrison somehow morphed into the Randwick backline and intercepted the ball scoring another converted try to end the first half with a scoreline favouring Randwick 35-21.
Would the second half be a Students renaissance equal to the 15th,16th centuries movement ? The University coaches would no doubt recalibrate the team and the crowd was not disappointed.
The second half started positively for University. Managing to attack inside the Randwick quarter the ball was shifted wide towards the grandstand. University had swamped numbers down a blindside chute and Tom Lambert ran and passed to replacement hooker Declan Moore. Like a rampaging bison bovine , nostrils flared foam exuding from his mouth , Moore thundered towards the corner for a try. Scoreline was now 35-26 and the big crowd were certainly getting value for their ground entry. The crowd bolstered by a plethora of old boys, gold members and supporters were then sent into delirium at the fifty minute mark.
University set an attacking five metre scrum. Once packed you could see the Students pack dominate their opposing pack. The Randwick pack was wilting. The scrum had to be repacked and University could smell a penalty try was a sure bet. As the ball was hooked back Randwick had no answer to this phenomenon. Their scrum disintegrated and referee Mr Tonks had no option to award a penalty try under the upright. 35-33 still favouring Randwick but University were for once looking the dominant side.
Randwick was stung but still had a swag of tricks in hand. A basic backline movement saw Hendren apply a chip kick behind the University defensive line. Following through was the livewire fullback Phillips who regathered and again burnt rubber downfield for a converted try. 42-33 with about twenty minutes left. This was the time for University to show they were not about to throw in the towel.
A blindside rush undertaken engineered by replacement five eighth the wily Sam Bignold gave Tom Morrsion an opportunity to weave through Randwick. Morrsion kept the ball alive and passed to his other winger Joseland. Once Joseland received the ball his size and pace bamboozled the Randwick defenders skirting down the sideline for another try. 42-38 with four minutes left and University were in fifth gear ready to go into overdrive.
Almost as if University had kissed a copy of the Blarney Stone instead of rehydrating after the last try, that man of the moment Morrison after the restart received the ball and kicked a 50/20 touch finder despite being hit late. The lineout was formed, caught and brought down. The maul inched towards Parramatta Road. Breakaway Sam Allsop went blind and passed to his support Captain and second rower Nathaniel Panozzo who galloped over scoring the final try to lead Randwick 43-42 and end the game.
The grandstand was heaving. The crowd was in raptures none more so than colourful supporter Andrew Keenan who yelled out *Eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious! The game scoreline fluctuated more than Donald Trump’s tariff policy but ultimately the Students recorded an incredible comeback victory.
Looking mentally exhausted after full time head coach Todd Louden summed up the game.”We played that poorly but found a way to win. At the half hour mark in the second half we had the comeback begin.”
New player second rower Cameron Wood was all smiles out on the pitch back slapping his teammates.”It’s been good and I’m really enjoying it here.”
Last words to the final try scorer and Captain Nathaniel Panozzo who has had a perfect start so far leading the Students. “It was a good hard game. We stuck in and fought to the end.”
Next week the Students will travel to the Northern Beaches going toe to toe with the Green Rats of Warringah.
* Eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious – Very good, very fine