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If Nick Phipps wants to play cameo roles in Shute Shield grand finals, he ought to be making a great contribution to club rugby before the big day.
Two huge hits and 15 opposition players targeting you from the second you step foot on the field – Phipps, it’s time to open your eyes. Nobody wants you to play club rugby if you haven’t been around all season.
Don’t get me wrong. He’s a good player. I enjoy seeing Phipps play against Josh Holmes of Warringah. But what I’d love to see more is Phipps playing club rugby throughout the year, not just in the last 30 minutes or so of the grand final.
Grassroots rugby is currently the most exciting competition in Australia at the moment. Last year 20,000 people arrived for the grand final, with patrons being turned away at the gates because North Sydney Oval was at capacity. In 2019 the Waratahs had a crowd 17,000 watch them take on the Hurricanes. There’s no doubt rugby fans are turning their backs on Super Rugby and turning up to grassroots rugby. There is only more room for growth.
But by playing a scrum half who hasn’t played all season is denying a second-grade player a chance to play for his club in the grand final – like Angus Fowler, who has turned up day in and day out to training and week in and week out for games. Fowler is part of the Sydney University and overall Shute Shield pack.
The score in the 2019 Shute Shield grand final was 16-0 to Warringah before Nick Phipps took the field. Twenty minutes later Uni led 21-16. Those 15 Warringah players who have been at every one of the 19 games this season had their chance at the cup stripped away by a Wallabies player who just showed up on the day.
Phipps, it’s time for you to sit back and reflect. Do you need to play Shute Shield rugby? Because Shute Shield rugby doesn’t need you to play.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.