IF THE Shute Shield grand final between Randwick and Sydney University on Saturday is decided by accurate goal kicking rather than tries, Daniel Halangahu knows who to thank if the Students win.
After University booked their place in the grand final with a 26-10 preliminary final win against Eastern Suburbs at Coogee Oval on Saturday, Halangahu was already lavishing praise on his hugely experienced mentor.
It was none other than former Wallaby Matt Burke, who is back in Australia to take on the role of kicking coach with the Waratahs after three years playing in England for Newcastle.
Burke, the Waratahs' highest points scorer and second-most capped player, has been helping Halangahu develop his kicking for the last month.
The importance of goal kicking in knock-out matches was clear in both Shute Shield preliminary finals.
Halangahu scored 16 points from four penalties and two conversions on Saturday. And at Pittwater Rugby Park yesterday, only three points separated Randwick and Gordon.
The Galloping Greens finished 25-22 winners in a game that saw Randwick No.10 Tim Walsh notch 10 points off the boot and Gordon five-eighth Dave Harvey seven points - but both missed crucial kicks.
With Randwick and University both strong in attack and defence, one kick could make the difference in Saturday's grand final at Concord Oval.
"It has been good for about a month now - the last four weeks I haven't missed too many," Halangahu said of his goal kicking since Burke came on board.
"He is not changing a lot, but a few tiny things that give me more consistency. It's good to have someone who knows how to kick working with you - and he can still kick."
Randwick yesterday won the right to challenge Sydney University for the trophy the Students have won for the last three years by fighting back from a 15-6 deficit.
A converted try by winger Ratu Nasiganiyavi in the 52nd minute reduced the margin to two and they had their tails up.
Randwick appeared poised to take the lead only three minutes later when they had an overlap on Gordon's line, but a 95-metre intercept try by Sisa Waqa put Gordon in front 22-13.
But Randwick's patience was eventually rewarded. A converted try to Peter Jorgensen after a 45m bust left them two points down in the 71st minute.
Just two minutes later they nailed the winning points thanks to two of their stars - former Wallaby Morgan Turinui and hooker Adam Freier, who came on a as a sub for Australia in the previous night's Tri Nations decider against the All Blacks.
It began with Freier brilliantly leaping to catch a midfield kick and burst downfield. In the next phase, Turinui found open space in the centres to set up winger Francis Fainifo to score the match-winner.
However, in the wash-up of the loss, it wasn't all doom and gloom for Gordon. At the NSW Rugby Union awards last night, Harvey was named as co-winner of the Ken Catchpole medal for best and fairest Shute Shield player as voted by the referees.
In only the third time that there has been a tie for the medal, Warringah's Scott Fardy was named the other winner.
Harvey and Fardy polled 22 votes each, while Tim Davidson (Sydney University) polled 21 and Ben Martin (West Harbour) 19. Adam D'Arcy (Manly), Clint Eadie (Warringah), Nick Haydon (Sydney University), and Tim McGann (Eastern Suburbs) all received 14 votes.
Stu Woodhouse (West Harbour) was named best coach, Nathan Pearce best referee, Phil Waugh was honoured for the best on- and off-field contribution by a Super 14 player, and Dan Palmer won best junior Waratah.
