The Tooheys New Shute Shield has come down to the two most experienced teams going head-to-head at Concord Oval on Saturday for Australian club Rugby’s most prestigious prize.

Super 14 stars and internationals fill both team sheets in what is arguably the best collection of players in a Sydney club match for many seasons.

Saturday 20 September 2008 – Tooheys New Shute Shield Grand Final
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY V RANDWICK
Concord Oval – ABC TV 3:10pm
Sydney University: 1st - 96pts. 20 wins, 2 losses.
Randwick: 3rd - 76pts. 14 wins, 7 losses, 1 draw.
Round 10 – Randwick 26 d Sydney University 23 at Coogee Oval
Round 21 – Sydney University 32 d Randwick 17 at University Oval No.1

Twelve teams started the Tooheys New Shute Shield with aspirations of being around on Grand Final Day, however with the season over for ten sides it is down to Sydney University and Randwick to do battle for the 2008 title.

On paper these two sides are the most talented in the competition, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t hit hurdles along the way in their quest for a Grand Final appearance.

Sydney University have cleared almost every hurdle with fantastic professionalism, dropping just two matches throughout the course of the season to be far and away the standout side from the home and away rounds.

Boasting the best attacking (36.9 pts/game) and best defensive records (15.5 pts/game) in the competition, the Students wrapped up the minor premiership with three rounds remaining, casting an emphatic stamp on their Shute Shield title defence.

Randwick finished the season ranked fourth in attack (33.8 pts/game) and defence (23.4 pts/game), however a victory over the Students in Round 10 has both sides knowing this match is anything but a foregone conclusion.

The Students have lost flanker Jono Jenkins who was stretchered from the field in last week’s Preliminary Final, however his loss opens the door for HSBC Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh to move into the starting line-up.

Waratah lock Will Caldwell has also come into the starting XV, forming an all-Super 14 second row with Brumbies lock Al Campbell.

Dean Mumm joins Waugh as flanker to create an all-Wallaby combination on the side of the scrum, while ex-Waratah and Force backrower Tim Davidson will skipper the side from No.8.

Davidson this week told Tah Talk, the world’s most quoted Rugby podcast, that his side struggled early after resting for the first week of the finals, but came home strongly to win and be ready for the Grand Final.

“A few of the boys got over a few niggles [in the week off], but early on we were a bit off the pace for not playing the previous week,” said Davidson. “We were a little bit rusty but I think we were better off coming home in the last 20 minutes, able to hold off Easts so we probably benefitted there.”

The Students also have a potent backline, which will be marshalled around the field by Waratahs flyhalf Daniel Halangahu who has played better and better the longer the season has gone on.

Peter Playford moves into the starting line-up on the wing, with fellow Brumby Leo Afeaki looking to make an impact in the mid-field.

Playing outside Afeaki is Mitch Inman, who will certainly come into contact with his brother, Randwick inside centre, Dane.

Randwick is also fielding an experienced line-up, packed full of Waratah and Wallaby stars.

Adam Freier will start the match at hooker, however Atonio Halangahu will get the chance to take on his brother in the second half.

Joining Freier in the front row is fellow Waratah Sekope Kepu, who despite a knee injury sustained in the Preliminary Final has been named to play in his first Shute Shield Grand Final.

The pack also includes Mark Chisholm and fellow Brumby Stephen Hoiles who skippers the side from the back of the pack.

Hoiles told Tah Talk that having won after both leading and trailing in the last two weeks, Randwick is in good stead to take on a talented University line-up.

“Tries are going to be scored against us and we’ve just got to find a way to score more,” said Hoiles. “We’ve had some exciting games, probably a bit too exciting for our coaches the last two weeks.

“But we’ve managed to hold on to a decent lead against Warringah and then we came back from a couple tries down against Gordon.”

The side will be controlled at the base of the ruck by Perth-bound scrumhalf Josh Valentine, while the backline includes Reds centre Morgan Turinui and new Waratahs signing Ratu Nasiganiyavi.

With both of Randwick’s finals decided in the closing stages, the strength of their bench will be crucial and includes Waratah Ben Mowen, Brumby Francis Fainifo and former Wallaby Peter Jorgensen.

Jorgensen is in looking to take out yet another Premiership with Randwick, 16 years after his first back in 1991.

Sydney University has faced Randwick four times in Shute Shield Grand Finals, winning in 1926, 1939 and 1962, however Randwick won their last meeting in a Shute Shield decider in 2000.

Sydney University: 1. Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 2. Nathan Charles, 3. Laurie Weeks; 4. Al Campbell, 5. Will Caldwell; 6. Dean Mumm, 7. Phil Waugh, 8. Tim Davidson [c]; 9. Nick Haydon, 10. Daniel Halangahu; 11. Peter Playford, 12. Leo Afeaki, 13. Mitch Inman, 14. Ed Jenkins; 15. Nathan Trist. Reserves: 16. Jono Owens, 17. Nick Hensley, 18. Lachlan McCutcheon, 19. Tim Aistrope, 20. Nathan Sievert, 21. Jeremy Atkins, 22. Nick Edwards, 23. Jeremy Tilse.

Randwick: 1. Sekope Kepu, 2. Adam Freier, 3. Lotu Taukeiaho; 4. Steve Brennan, 5. Mark Chisholm; 6. Chris Houston, 7. Rodney Voullaire, 8. Stephen Hoiles [c]; 9. Josh Valentine, 10. Tim Walsh; 11. Ratu Nasiganiyavi, 12. Dane Inman, 13. Morgan Turinui, 14. Bernie Orbell; 15. Matt Nethery. Reserves: 16. Peter Jorgensen, 17. Daniel Spencer, 18. Ben Mowen, 19. Ben Toleafoa, 20. Tony Luxford, 21. Atonio Halangahu, 22. Francis Fainifo, 23. Ben Bartlett.
Note changes from earlier released team: new jersey numbers for Jorgensen, A.Halangahu and Mowen; Toleafoa in for Whittleston.
Referee: James Leckie

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