Who will win today’s first grade final?
Why the closest ever Shute Shield has turned players, coaches into wrecks
By Iain Payten
After two pandemic seasons of lockdowns, bubble restrictions and ultimately, in 2021, the first cancelled Shute Shield competition since World War One, worn-out Sydney club coaches were looking forward to the rhythms of a “normal” season this year.
They didn’t get one. After the drama of a called-off Shute Shield last year, coaches’ nerves have continued to be shredded this year in the shape of the closest season in living memory.
So intensely fought has the Shute Shield season been in 2022, nine of the 12 teams were legitimate finals contenders for most of the year, with only seven points separating the third and ninth-ranked sides. After an average margin of 23.8 points per game last year, the standard deviation was a miserly 11.2 points this year.
Of the 108 regular season games, 47.5 per cent were decided by a converted try or less.
But after a year when anyone could beat anyone, and did, just two teams remain – Gordon and Sydney Uni. Via tense finals paths, the clubs will do battle in the grand final on Saturday afternoon at Leichhardt Oval, and there are shorts odds on it also being settled by less than a single score.
What a day of rugby we have in store
G’day rugby fans.
Welcome to our live coverage of not one, not two, but three huge games of rugby today.
It’s Tom Decent in the blogging chair from glorious Leichhardt Oval ahead of the Shute Shield final between Sydney University and Gordon. The first grade decider kicks off at 3.15pm AEST.
Then Caden Helmers, fresh off his trip to Adelaide last week for the Wallabies and Springboks clash, will be taking over to give a blow-by-blow of the New Zealand and Argentina Test. Can the Pumas make it back-to-back wins?
Then it’s to the brand spanking new Allianz Stadium where the Wallabies face the Springboks again, a week on from their 25-17 victory in Adelaide.
Remember, you can watch all the action on Stan Sport.
