7 May 2007 By Graham Croker
The exciting young backline that is being assembled at Sydney University unveiled some more of its attacking wares at WIN Stadium, Wollongong, on Sunday, running in 10 of the Students’ 13 tries in their 79-10 win over Illawarra.
Elusive winger Alf Mafi led the way with four tries. Taking over the left wing long occupied by Michael Griffin, Mafi proved an extremely elusive customer to handle with ball in hand. He has a great turn of pace, a jink, a swerve and a palm that wouldn’t go astray on Norfolk Island. And he used all of those weapons in three of his tries, beating three and four defenders on his way to the line.
Another to make a habit of crossing the stripe is hooker Dan Lewinski, who bagged a pair of tries on Sunday to make it five tries off rolling mauls in the past three weeks.
With Tom Carter back in the mid-field ready to shrug off a long injury break and unfulfilled Super 14 dreams with NSW Waratahs, the Students had run up five tries – and a bonus point – by half-time, when they led 29-5.
Indeed, Carter opened the scoring with his second touch when he broke two tackles on a 20-metre surge for the line.
The Students attacked at all opportunities, resulting in Mafi (two), fullback Nathan Trist and halfback Nick Haydon scoring first half tries, while Illawarra winger Justin Parkhill cruised over in the corner for the hosts after a sustained assault on the University line.
While the Illawarra defence had restricted the visitors to five tries in the first 40 minutes, the damaging running of University number eight Pauliasi Taumoepeau, second-rowers David Dennis and Michael Woodward and giant outside-centre Leo Afeaki began to take its toll as the second half unfolded. The Students twice scored 80-metre tries from restarts as the score mounted.
Lewinski (two), Mafi (two), flanker Chris Stratton, winger Joey Phillipe, flanker Matt Battishall and replacement centre Peter Betham crossed for second-half tries for the Students, while fullback Scott Morgan scored for the hosts.
The Students converted seven of the tries via the boots of Trist (two), five-eighth Dan Kelly (three) and replacement halfback Nathan Sievert (two).
Meanwhile, Kelly, enjoying an armchair ride behind a rampaging pack, caught like a second slip and directed the attack with vision.
Sydney University Football Club director of rugby, Anthony Eddy, said the club had a number of quality young backs in the ranks. “They have skill and they have genuine speed,” he said. “There is competition for all positions in the backline; no one can rest on their laurels. And we continually watch the performances of the lower grades and the First Grade Colts.”
Eddy said fierce competition for First Grade berths also extends to the forwards, and the possible return in coming weeks of Tim Davidson, Will Caldwell, Dean Mumm, Phil Waugh, David Lyons and Al Campbell will add to the mix.
Rugby supporters disenchanted by the Super 14 efforts, should take the time to come and watch this young team. Playing under the experimental Stellenbosch Laws, they are displaying an exciting brand of attacking football.
As are the Sydney University Under-19s, who ran in 10 tries in a clinical 64-nil win over Illawarra on Sunday.
The only time leather hit boot was a drop-kick to start play and a steady stream of conversion attempts. Other than that it was an attacking feast directed by five-eighth Nick Delaney operating behind a skilled pack anchored by exciting tighthead Barry Fa’amausili.
Aficionados would do well to visit a ground where this side is operating.