Sydney University
vs
Northern Suburbs
1 April 2023
By Bruce ‘China’ Lin
There are many origins to April Fool’s Day. Some attribute it to Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. But Northern Suburbs played the prank on the Students with an emphatic 37-20 victory in last Saturday’s Shute Shield opener at University.
Despite a tight initial quarter Norths commenced to bustle the Students into errors. The Shoremen were picking driving and causing University to make uncharacteristic errors. Former University five eighth Jude Gibbs ushered his return to the Birthplace by guiding Norths with an adept tactical kicking display. Norths were ahead 8-3 ,15-3, and at the stroke of halftime led 22-3. University looked rather * pusillaminous throughout the half.
It was not fake news a cliché attributed to the 45th President of the United States. But the reality was that last year’s grand final victory was now history.
The second half still had University attempting to shift from third to fourth gear as dropped passes and missed tackles were causing headaches to attain momentum.
A small glimmer of hope arrived early when University pressed inside the Norths quarter. The ball was shifted quickly to the open where it was received by young fullback Tom Morrison who made the extra man after an excellent Henry Clunies-Ross offload to score a converted try.
From that moment on Norths were focused to grind University as they scored some quick and easy tries. University were being frustrated and had no answer to stem the red and black onslaught.
Norths scoreline had ballooned to 32-10 and University were not in a position to be party poopers to peg back the bulging scoreline. A belated try through sustained phase play down the Paramatta Road blindside saw University winger Eddy King score for a final scoreline 0f 37-20.
Congratulations to Norths. They prepared well. For University a loss has a silver lining as there appears a lot of extra work required to once again rise to full potential.
Next week University get their passports renewed and visas stamped and trek up to the northern beaches to do battle against the Warringah Rats.
- Pusillaminous- timid