Welcome back to Club Corner, where rugby.com.au brings you the latest from Australia’s premier grassroots competitions.
Manly produced a last-gasp win over Sydney Uni to light up Round 2 of the Shute Shield while 2023 Hospital Cup winners Brothers delivered a statement win over Easts to open their title defence.
Watch every match of QLD’s Hospital Cup and NSW’s Shute Shield LIVE and exclusive on Stan Sport.
In the nation’s capital, Wests and Tuggeranong lead the charge after Round 2 with Brighton, Burnside and Southern Suburbs early pacesetters in South Australia’s premier competition.
Stay tuned for Dewar Shield (Victoria) and Fortescue Premier Grade action (Western Australia) returning this weekend and read for all the action out of Week 2 in clubland across QLD, NSW, ACT and SA!
Souths 34 def GPS 15
Souths are 2-0 in 2024 after putting GPS to the sword at Chipsy Wood Oval.
Floyd Aubrey drew first blood for the Gallopers with a runaway try but the Magpie forwards were unstoppable early doors with Kohan Herbert, Phransis Sula-Siaosi and George Francis rumbling over.
Tries to Tye James either side of halftime ensured Souths were rarely troubled, eventually running out 19-point victors and denying GPS a bonus-point try at the death.
UQ 28 def Norths 10
UQ overcame a slow start to post their first win of the season, running out 18-point victors over Norths in St Lucia.
It took the Red Heavies 28 minutes to trouble the scorers with Luke Callan icing a quick-tap try before Jake Tierney, Manu Paea and Liam Prendergast all crossed to seal a bonus-point win.
The score somewhat flattered UQ with Norths butchering multiple chances before Alex Flanagan-Smith’s late try gave Eagles fans some joy.
Wests 27 def Sunnybank 26
Wests survived a late scare from Sunnybank to run out one-point winners at Biggs Field.
The Bulldogs lead 19-0 midway through the first half and 24-7 shortly after halftime but the Dragons were unrelenting, scoring two tries in the final five minutes to set up a grandstand finish.
Wests hooker Charlie Wigan finished with a double while Sunnybank number eight Pita Halaifonau shone in an impressive Dragons pack.
Brothers 51 def Easts 17
The Brethren opened their title defence in emphatic fashion, smashing Easts by 34 points at David Wilson Field.
Brothers went a point a minute to the half-hour mark, eventually laying on nine tries to the Tigers’ three with Billy Bulley and Grason Makara shining out wide.
Replacement halfback Will Cartwright also impressed for the Brethren with a stunning solo try from 55m out.
Click here for further Round 2 Hospital Cup analysis.
Round 2 Hospital Cup Fixtures
Sunnybank v Wests
UQ v Norths
Easts v Brothers
Souths v GPS
Bond Uni (BYE)
Hunter Wildfires 23 def Southern Districts 21
Hunter posted their first win of the 2024 season with a two-point victory over Souths at Woy Woy Oval.
Souths started strongly with lock Mark O’Reilly's surging effort from the ruck base and a penalty try compounding Hunter's early woes.
But the Wildfires weren’t to be denied with fullback Ethan Morgan scoring a double and flyhalf Nat De Thierry slotting a 78th minute penalty to secure the comeback win.
Northern Suburbs 38 def Eastwood 27
Shute Shield hit the country road as Norths posted an 11-point win over Eastwood at Cowra Oval.
The Shoremen dominated early doors with three rolling maul tries before Woodies lock Julian Zissis crossed late for a 21-8 halftime margin.
Eastwood struck first after oranges and eventually earned a losing bonus point but Norths were rarely troubled as Roan Frostwick and Seb Cameron helped chalk up maximum points for the Shoremen.
Warringah 26 def Randwick 13
Warringah are 2-0 to start their season after downing defending premiers Randwick by 13 points at Rat Park.
A dour opening 30 minutes saw the sides trade penalties before Rats hooker Wes Thomas and Wicks fullback James Hendren scored late in the half for a 13-all deadlock at oranges.
Flyhalf Coby Miln was key to Warringah’s second half surge and finished up with 16 points while a 60th minute yellow card to Ky Willoughby paved way for Komiti Tuilagi's match-sealing try.
Western Sydney 52 def West Harbour 36
The Two Blues also continued their winning ways, banking full points from a 13-try shootout with West Harbour at the Eric.
The Pirates lead 24-21 after 36 minutes before Western Sydney broke clear with Two Blues trio Rilloy Suesue, Nikola Vikena and Christian Papa finishing up with doubles.
Vuata Karawalevu and Raukawa Neems also bagged braces for West Harbour with Callum Sirker and Nicholas Brown rounding out the try-scorers.
Manly 31 def Sydney Uni 29
A last-gasp penalty goal from Marlins flyhalf Robbie McIntosh prevented Sydney Uni’s second comeback win in as many weeks with Manly emerging two-point victors on campus.
A jinking solo try to Wilson Dulieo and fine support play from halfback Ruan Du Plooy headlined Manly’s fast start but the students were unrelenting, reeling in a 28-12 deficit via tries to Ciaran Loh and Ronan Leahy.
A 63rd minute penalty to Jack Matthews put Uni in the box seat for another miracle before McIntosh broke home fan hearts with a match-winning penalty on full time.
Eastern Suburbs 40 def Gordon 36
Easts sit atop the Shute Shield ladder after Round 2 following an entertaining four-point win over Gordon at Woollahra Oval.
Gordon led Beasties 24-19 at the break before the hosts’ rolling maul got to work, hooker Moli Sooaemalelagi bagging a quickfire double to swing momentum away from the Highlanders.
Easts halfback Teddy Wilson shone with two try assists and two linebreaks while Gordon duo Jay Fonokalafi and Brandon Quin bagged doubles in a losing outfit.
Click here for further Shute Shield Round 2 analysis.
Round 3 Shute Shield Fixtures
Gordon v Hunter Wildfires
Randwick v Sydney Uni
Manly v West Harbour
Northern Suburbs v Southern Districts
Eastwood v Warringah
Eastern Suburbs v Western Sydney
2023 grand finalists Tuggeranong are unbeaten after Round 2 in the nation’s capital after seeing off Canberra Royals 32-25.
The Vikings earned a bonus point win and the Allan ‘Wal’ Scollen Cup but were pressed late by Royals, who scored through centre Lincoln Smith to come within striking distance in the dying minutes.
Gungahlin Eagles and Wests Lions also banked five competition points in the John I Dent Cup after defeating Queanbeyan and Uni-Norths respectively while Tuggeranong ViQueens remain the only unbeaten side in the Premier 15s women’s competition.
Click here for further John I Dent Cup results and fixtures.
Elizabeth left it late to secure a dramatic win over Onkaparinga in Round 2 of the RUSA Premier Grade competition while Woodville earned bragging rights in the women's grand final rematch against Southern Suburbs. The Knights need three late tries to reel in Onkas 36-29 while Victoria Cousins' 15-point haul helped the Wasps' topple Souths 40-12 on home soil.
Click here for further RUSA coverage.
