THE six finalists of the Shute Shield have been decided, but the question remains: who can topple Sydney University?
No one, it appears, going by the ruthless efficiency with which they disposed of rivals Randwick on Saturday.
Before the premiership race is declared a foregone conclusion, however, wooden-spooners Southern Districts have the chance to expose a few chinks in the Students' armour for the others to capitalise on.
It may seem unlikely, but University coach Damien Hill remembers the upset Souths inflicted on his side two years ago well enough to insist he'll field a full-strength side for next Saturday's match at Forshaw Park.
University and Souths have had differing seasons, to say the least. Of the 21 matches each have played, the Students have won 19, and Souths one. Eighty points separate them on the table (University 91, Souths 11) and there is a 963-point differential between the two (University +430, Souths -533).
Souths' Grant Trouville said yesterday: "I hope Uni don't take us lightly, because we're going to come out with all guns blazing. We are going to train really hard this week.
"It has been a really tough season and we have lost a lot of players, but we want to finish strongly. We owe it to our fans."
Spurring on Trouville and his teammates will be the large turnout expected to celebrate 20 years of Souths rugby.
Things could have been so different for the Southerners, who lost three of their first four games by margins of five, seven and four points. Add to that injuries to playmakers Matt Adair and Craig Richards, and Sean Rudder's defection back to league, and Souths had lost their best attacking weapons.
Souths lost their 20th match of the year on the weekend, going down 34-10 to Warringah. University, in contrast, marched towards another title with a 32-17 home win over Randwick.
Daniel Halangahu set up two tries and scored one of his own on the way to a personal haul of 17 points.
The Students took just two minutes to get on the board, when Halangahu put Ed Jenkins in under the posts. Winger Nick Edwards bagged a double while Rodney Voullaire, Francis Fainifo and Lotu Taukeiaho crossed for the visitors.
Meanwhile, Clyde Rathbone scored a hat-trick and Luke Irwin a double as Eastern Suburbs accounted for Northern Suburbs 41-24 at Woollahra Oval. In other results, Gordon defeated Parramatta 43-29, West Harbour defeated Penrith 66-41, and Eastwood defeated Manly 48-35.
