It doesn't matter though because untill the NSWRU change the way they run things the Shute Shield will suffer more and more.
Get onto the Waratahs website and see how many of them play for Uni. Of the 36 Waratahs contracted players, thirteen (Atkins, Barnes, Betham, Carter, Dennis, Foley, Folau, Hodge, Kingston, McCutcheon, Ryan, Skelton and Tilse) play for Uni.
If Uni had developed these players then fair enough. But the killer is when the Waratahs sign players from elsewhere, they are shunted straight to Uni. In the current Waratahs squad, Penrith is not represented. Randwick, Warringah and Parramatta have one player each (Randwick used to have two, but for some reason Drew Mitchell now plays his club rugby for Balmain, who aren't even a grade side). Easts have two as do Manly. I mean, for gods sake that Uni squad includes the first and second choice Fly-Half for NSW. Why do they need both?
Why are the NSWRU killing this competition by stacking one side full of players so they annihilate everyone once Super Rugby ends? Uni have played in the last eight grand finals and won seven. And it's not because they have a superior system, it's because they're gifted all the players by the NSWRU! I mean, Folau ffs! He's from Western Sydney, wouldn't it have been fantastic for Rugby in the west which is seriously struggling to have him playing for Penrith, Parramatta or West Harbour? Even if he'd only turned out once it would have drawn a crowd.
And it's what they used to do too. Tuqiri, Blacklock, Tahu all played for clubs in the West and drew numbers - especially kids - on the odd occasion they were playing club rugby. Rogers played for Randwick and Souths and he put bums on seats too.
Anyway it's sad but the glory days of club rugby are well and truly dead. Doubtful it'll ever get back to anything like it used to be.
