WHATEVER anyone may say about Sydney University, with their riches of talent and money to recruit, the Students yesterday proved it has been well invested when they defeated Randwick at Concord Oval.
In stifling temperatures above 30 degrees, Uni convincingly claimed their fourth successive premiership.
They were deserving winners with their structured play, solid defence, relatively error-free game and quickness of thought and body to capitalise on Randwick's many mistakes.
The Students didn't waste any time in the second half to punish Randwick's foibles. They returned from the break up 17-8 to score their fourth try at the 46th minute.
It went to University captain and No.8 Tim Davidson and made it 24-8 after the conversion by Daniel Halangahu, who added a penalty and a 53rd-minute drop goal to give them an unassailable 30-8 lead.
If anyone dared to argue that University's title win was not a fait accompli at this point it was silenced with another penalty from Halangahu in the 58th minute and tries to reserve winger Nick Edwards and hooker Nathan Charles that ballooned the score to 45-8.
It was too late for Randwick to turn the tables.
Winger Ratu Nasiganiyavi's unconverted try in the 75th minute narrowed the margin to 45-13 and four minutes later Morgan Turinui scored a converted try when it was long gone.
Randwick had little, if any, structure and spent a large part of the first half running or kicking out from their half, only to lose possession with poor kicks or turnovers. There were also far too many handling errors.
The Wicks, to their credit, opened with intent and pressured University. They were also first to score with a seventh-minute Tim Walsh penalty.
But the Students responded with the first of Randwick's mistakes, a kick by halfback Josh Valentine from inside their 22m that was charged down by Uni loose-head prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa, who chased it to score.
Randwick seemed cornered as University continued to pressure them in their half and were soon rewarded, with fullback Nathan Trist scoring a try in the 18th minute. Halangahu converted this one to extend their lead to 12-3.
Randwick needed quick points and Walsh's missed penalty four minutes later didn't help.
The Greens persevered with their ad lib approach and began to receive the benefit of referee James Leckie's whistle, which clearly frustrated University before the Wicks finally found a gap in the defensive line for No.7 Rodney Voullaire to score.
Incredibly Randwick were still in it 12-8 after Walsh missed the conversion. But the role of kicking was never clearer than when Walsh failed again with a 35th-minute penalty.
That was as close as Randwick got. Two minutes later University struck back with a third try; typically, off a Greens blunder - probably the worst of the game. A grubber by Phil Waugh into the Randwick in-goal area was poorly covered by fullback Matt Nethery, who was beaten to the ball by a chasing Trist.
Halangahu's conversion failed but it was the beginning of the end.
Uni captain Davidson said: "It was definitely the one per centers in that second half. Those are the things that win grand finals."
Waugh, playing in his sixth grand final, praised his fellow forwards' dominance "and Daniel [Halangahu] directed us around the field really well, which makes a big difference".
