Sydney University vs. Warringah
13.05.2017
By Bruce ‘China’ Lin
The game hardly started on the right note at the SUFG on Saturday. After forty seconds the speedy Warringah winger Harry Jones secured an intercept along the University backline scoring a converted try. The pain was compounded shortly after. Pressing inside the University five metre area some short passing by these scurrying Warringah Rats saw a crashing try beneath the posts to extend their lead to 14-0.
But despite this bout of indigestion, University eventually developed some continuity. Some rapid second phase play was gaining field position. Outside centre Chris Ingate ran hard off a short ball splintering the Warringah defence to score near the uprights. The big Warringah pack struck back with a try from a rolling maul extending their lead to 19-7 to end the first half.
University’s annual Ladies Day was in full swing along the northern boundary. This day is always a colourful event on the clubs calendar. Young ladies were present to be wined & entertained. The entertainment arrived with a scantily clad University prop Will ‘Channing’ Ridley marketing his new career as a Boost Juice franchisee by pulverising a water melon with the aid of his prodigious quadriceps.
The start of the second half was a mirror image of the first. Five minutes had elapsed and the Students were staring at a deficit of 29-7 following a penalty and another converted try to that winger Jones. Things were looking particularly grim for the Students.
But whatever was said in the dressing room at the break must rank alongside Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Gettysburg address. A metamorphosis descended upon University. A lineout produced a rolling maul and a try. Soon after University winger Christian Kagiassis backed himself and darted down the blindside for a try. The trifecta arrived after an attacking five metre scrum saw the ball go open. Captain Jake Wainwright drew the defence and popped a short ball to his support returning Waratah, Nick Phipps who crashed over. Scores had now altered to 29-26 just in favour of Warringah.
University were delivering to the Green Rats a late afternoon dose of Mortein. Continual phases of recycling saw University backpedal Warringah. Breakaway Hamish Dunbar later took the final ball and dragged defenders over the line for another converted try. Amazingly University were ahead 33-29 causing the grandstand crowd to go into raptures. It was almost as if the University team becoming fifteen White House Press Secretary’s called Sean Spicer causing havoc to all that crossed their path! Warringah were trying to gain that vital field position to launch a last bid attack but University were repelling wave after wave of the green rat plague.
However the clock was Warringah’s thorn. In the tradition of escape movies, Escape from New York, Escape from L.A. and Escape from Alcatraz, the crowd had viewed the dramatic thriller – Escape from Camperdown with the 33-29 victory! An incredible ending to a sunny afternoon.
The ladies in the Bumble Lounge were estatic seeing the victory as they mingled with University players after the game. Resting club Waratah, Jake Gordon one minute was chatting and then was dragged into the female throng whereabouts unknown! Scoring machine, Christian Kagiassis was on a high- breathless, speaking a rapid fire Arcadocyprian dialect. Despite the substantial deficit the fullback was the optimist, “We just knew we had it if we tackled and played hard, said Kagiassis. Last words were reserved for prop Wayne Borsak playing against his former Club, “I just know how hard my old team Warringah play but we came back and I’m really enjoying my football here.” All in all a tremendous game between two determined teams.
Next week the Students make the short trip down Parramatta Road to do battle with the unpredictable West Harbour Pirates.