Paddy Ryan will turn his focus to the NSW Country Eagles’ National Rugby Championship campaign after helping Sydney University break their five year Shute Shield drought on Saturday.
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Ryan, the Eagles skipper, and Narrabri’s Will McDonnell were part of a uni side that triumphed 45-12 over defending champions Warringah in front of a crowd of over 15,500 at North Sydney Oval.
It was the students’ first Shute Shield win since 2013.
"It’d be pretty close to the most special that one,” Ryan told Fairfax Media.
"When you’ve got a side with good preparation and prepared well and is led well, it’s about turning up on the day.”
Up 17-7 at half-time, Uni burst out of the blocks in the second half scoring twice in the opening five minutes to stretch their lead to 31-7.
Ryan and his cohorts in the pack set the platform with the students’ powerful scrum a cornerstone of the victory.
For McDonnell the win was another moment to savour in what has been a huge 2018 with the inside centre making his NSW Waratahs debut in June.
He is also one of 13 nominees for the Ken Catchpole Medal as the competition’s best and fairest player, and has been named in the Eagles’ squad.
