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By Georgina Robinson
April 26, 2020 — 7.49pm
Either Newcastle or a Western Force-boosted Penrith will be the wildcard entrants to the Shute Shield when Sydney's beloved club rugby competition gets under way on July 25.
The Wildfires will fight it out with the Emus to claim the 12th spot in the Shute Shield after state government authorities gave the Sydney Rugby Union a provisional green light on restarting the community game in three months' time.
Sydney Rugby Union chairman Phillip Parsons said November 14 was earmarked for the grand final, with clubs to start training about four weeks ahead of the July 25 start.
The 12th team would be decided in four weeks, with player availability and roster strength the deciding factors, Parsons said.
"Newcastle understand our competition and the strength they need in their playing roster. We wouldn't be putting them in unless they have one that shows they can be competitive," he said. "Penrith continue to talk to the Western Force, which is a strong relationship to have."
The announcement of a July start came a few days after the Queensland Rugby Union announced it was working towards a June 2 kick-off for community rugby, including Brisbane's premier competition the Hospital Cup.
I think the world is now looking to community sport for its freshness and the intent that it's played with.
Parsons confirmed the Shute Shield would still have a home on 7Mate this season and that Foxtel and at least one streaming service was interested in broadcasting both the Brisbane and Sydney competitions.
"We are doing this in conjunction with NSW Health's public health officials," he said. "We haven't thrown a date out as other codes have, we have done this through consultation with all stakeholders and we understand things can change and will work with whatever comes our way."
The news will be a relief to match-starved sports fans, who are still waiting on Rugby Australia to work through the more complicated issue of professional rugby's restart.
Parsons predicted a new level of appreciation for club rugby when it could finally return this year.
"I think the world is now looking to community sport for its freshness and the intent that it's played with," he said.
"We realise that sometimes the motivation for sport was driven by the commercial outcomes and I think we're going to see that the world has different motivations now to deliver sport.
"Sport should have always been owned by the community and the people. We see that now and acknowledge the great work our frontline health workers are doing to keep our communities safe. Perhaps there's been a reset on what sport means to us and I think the world will push back on sport that's driven by huge commercial incentivisation."
Penrith or Newcastle will join Shute Shield regulars Gordon, Northern Suburbs, Warringah, Manly, Eastwood, West Harbour, Western Sydney (Parramatta), Southern Districts, Sydney University, Eastern Suburbs and Randwick.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...26-p54ndq.html
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Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Western Force boosted Penrith? I assume that will be a feeder team for the real Western Force.
With the smackdown they laid onto Newcastle and Eastwood earlier this year, the Shite Shield wouldn't want to let the full pro team in!
C'mon the![]()
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Be nice to have the NRC and Shute Shield trophy in Perth, that would send a pretty strong message.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
So it looks like the GRR are on the charm offensive to get a 2nd Australian team in Western Sydney or Newcastle.
I'm not sure about that. After extensive discussion with one of them, I've gained the insight that the Emus was pretty Clusterf##ky in management. I think there were good reasons why they were booted from the Shield (apart from being unable to field teams)
I would expect that the "Force Boosted" Penrith team will essentially be Western Force east. Not an atrocious idea, but ridiculously overpowered for the Shite Shield unless it's mainly Future Force players with a couple of experienced heads and some Penrith players who we might want to poach.
THat being said, having the Force completely obliterated the Shite Shield will serve a couple of pr purposes that the Sydney rugby establishment just don't seem to be able to get their heads around, the GRR being a level below the NRC and potentially not competitive with Shite Shield and the concept that Shite Shield should be the pathway to Super Rugby representation. Therefore I wouldn't complain if the boys went over to Sydney for some easy warm up games before they started to get involved in anything serious.
C'mon the![]()
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Sadly for the former Emu club, that is spot on.
One thing about the GWS area is the large base of neglected raw talent, tailor made for rugby - bigger than Tonga.
The rugby wankers to their east cbf'd with helping much to develop that, other than straight poaching.
If the Force are to involve and develop them as a feeder club, rather than pure poaching, fine.
Well, yeah.
I don't quite reckon we'd see a rebadged Force in the SS, though.
They play Rugby Union I'm Penrith? Would have thought there'd be too many bogans out there
Inside word is Newcastle is the front runner.
Penrith is still struggling to put together the required numbers. 4 Grade teams and 3 Colts teams.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
Reading a few boards, it is interesting to see how many people over east are relieved to see that Andrew Forrest is going to save professional rugby for them...
Enough to make us barf? Feel a bit "tell 'em their dreaming"? Not really when you think back to how much public opinion, and media commentary was in favour of the Force remaining in SR just prior to Clyne's Judas act. Time to look ahead. If Andrew Forrest has the time, people like him need to be appointed the RA board and just as importantly to whatever the "Review Board" ends up. Urgently and before a new chair is chosen. Not for his fortune, but rather his love of the game and his smarts and can-do attitude. Don't have a lot of faith in the letter signatories dominating that review - I'd also like to see included some of those who declined.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David