Sydney University
Vs
Gordon
25 April 2025
By Bruce China Lin
Last Friday was Anzac Day. It is the day in our nation’s calendar to honour those men and women in our defence forces who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice.
With the backdrop of such a significant day University came back to the winners’ circle with a resolute victory over the previously undefeated Gordon Highlanders 31-19 at Camperdown.
University’s ranks were bolstered with the return of Waratah tight-head prop Brad Amituanai and Waratah captain Jake Gordon at halfback. Both players were dominant.
University applied early pressure upon Gordon suffocating them in any ball movement inside their quarter. At fourteen minutes into the half University’s traditional rucking game kicked in. The tartan jerseys were back pedalling with the blue and gold pack driving towards the goal line. Jake Gordon was on a teddy bears picnic shuffling the ball from side to side picking his players to clobber the Gordon defensive line.
But like a scheming halfback Jake Gordon passed the optimum flat ball to inside centre Jullien Caillol from a dominant five metre scrum. Caillol knew precisely what line to run and came hard onto the ball at an obtuse angle. End result he scored to the right of the uprights. Fullback James Kane kicked the conversion for an early University lead of 7-0.
Five minutes later University felt the hunger pains and started rucking again . The tartan fifteen had no counter to the Students punch. This time Brad Amituanai decided to have some glory. From the base of a ruck five metres out Amituanai scooped up the ball and directed his powerful torso torpedo like towards the Gordon goal line. Brad’s diet of extra protein consisting of Wagyu brisket with a cleansing gherkin provided that incredible impetus to smash his way over for a 12-0 lead.
But shortly after Gordon managed to gain some field position with a five metre scrum. Their Captain Basson ran blind and linked with Hickey the fullback who was able to bounce over for a converted try.
University’s thought process was not to lie dormant and continued the attack. From a lineout University spread the ball open towards the grandstand. Jake Gordon passed to outside centre Tom Morrison who was tackled. But Morrison maintained continuity with five eighth Sam Bignold now in possession. Bignold with hands more exquisite than the Addams family’s *thing passed a flat ball to Kane making an extra man. Kane drew defenders and the coup de grace was undertaken by points scoring machine winger Benjy Joseland. Kane kicked the conversion and University were ahead at half time 19-5.
The signs were positive but University could not lapse into cruise control mode. Gordon were an experienced big side and would punish the Students for any casualness. Fortunately University continued their mission with strong defence and attack when required.
Gordon scored two more tries but so did the Students with Caillol and Joseland both scoring doubles. The pleasing aspect of these tries was that both came from backing up.
There could have been a third try in the latter stages of the second half as everyone was trying to get in on the fun. A massive rush where the ball was passed amongst a plethora of forwards and backs took place. Traditionally referred to as hot potato to keep the ball alive, the call came out to unleash *ucalegon!
The crowd was yelling themselves hoarse into a sheer alienation of mind none more so than team mothers Sharon Bignold and Ruth Matthews. But alas the ball was spilled over the line and heart rates levelled out to see University come away with a valuable bonus point victory of 31-19.
Two try scorer Jullien Caillol was beaming all smiles after his eighty minutes in the cauldron. “It was just so easy playing alongside Jake Gordon. I always got great ball off him” said Caillol.
A few legends of the club from yesteryear former club coaches and players Chris Nobby Malone and the Posh & Becks of rugby Drew Rock Star Hickey and his charming wife Kathy were equally impressed. “Uni weren’t afraid to run that ball and the forwards combined well” said Malone. Drew Hickey was more minimalist in his praise, “they were just uber clinical!”
Next week University are on a M1 road trip to Newcastle playing a resurgent Hunter Wildfires.
*Thing- Disembodied hand portrayed in the 1964 sitcom Addams Family
*Ucalegon- Neighbour whose house is on fire.