With just two games left of the regular season, round 17 (Sat 27th July) is crunch time for many teams at this stage of the competition. Our match of the round (live on 7TWO) sees Sydney University host Northern Suburbs in a race to host one of three home qualifying finals in two weeks. Eastern Suburbs and Gordon go head-to-head in a must-win clash to make finals. Eastwood will be looking to secure another win against Southern Districts, while we could see a very interesting match-up between an inconsistent Manly side and West Harbour. Top of the ladder Warringah will face off against bottom of the ladder Western Sydney.
FEATURED GAME – LIVE ON 7TWO FROM 3 PM (AEST) SATURDAY 27TH JULY
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY v NORTHERN SUBURBS AT UNIVERSITY OVAL NO.2
Northern Suburbs will be looking to regain third position on the ladder to secure a home qualifying final after Sydney University triumphantly leapfrogged the Shoremen thanks to a bolstering win over Southern Districts last weekend. Northern Suburbs came out second best to a gutsy Gordon side in the Battle of the North.
Only two changes for the Sydney University side with Jake Gordon alternating with Nick Phipps as the starting half-back and Matt Sandell replaces Tom Osborne at tighthead prop. Uni winger Harry Potter leads the competition in metres run (1152) defenders beaten (92) and clean breaks (36), and he will pose an imminent threat to the Shoremen defensive come Saturday.
The Northern Suburbs front row remains unchanged heading into Round 17, with NSW Waratah and dual Aussie 7s backrower Michael Wells re-joining the side at 6, as ‘King of the North’ Will Miller is not named. Cam Clark will get his second start as fullback in the red and black for 2019, adding that little bit of extra experience to the backline with Richie Woolf and Nathan Russell (10 tries for the season) as supports.
Both outfits will have their destiny in their own hands, and with only 2 points separating the sides a win for either team will put them in the driving seat for a home qualifying final.
Sydney University (1-15)
Angus Bell, Tom Horton, Matt Sandell, Lachlan Swinton, David McDuling, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Josh Kemeny, Rohan O’Regan, Jack Gordon, Ben Hughes, James Kane, Will McDonell, Guy Porter, Harry Potter, Tim Clements
Northern Suburbs (1-15)
Lawrance Hunting, Andrew Tuala, Max Ma’a, Connor Vest, Nick Palmer, Michael Wells, Garry Bautz, Hugh Sinclair, Michael Dowsett, Angus Sinclair, Lachie Creagh, Harry Burey, Nathan Russell, Richie Woolf, Cam Clark
In other matches:
Eastwood v Southern Districts, 3 pm at TG Millner Field
Gordon v Eastern Suburbs, 3 pm at Chatswood Oval
Manly v West Harbour, 3 pm at Manly Oval
Warringah v Western Sydney, 3 pm at Pittwater Rugby Park
TV fixture livestream available on http://www.7plus.com/CLUB from 3 pm (AEST) on Saturday.
7TWO NATIONWIDE REPLAY on Sunday morning at 4:00 am local time.