Shute Shield: Cooper Chambers defies injury to start and score for Southern Districts
There’s not a lot more fun than getting your first start in a Shute Shield game - except maybe scoring as well. And that’s what this Southern Districts young gun has managed to do.
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As dream starting debuts go this one by Cooper Chambers ranks right up there.
For his first start, the 20-year-old was sent in against one of the competition favourites in Northern Suburbs and managed to score a try in the first half.
“It was great, and a TV game as well,” said scrum half Chambers.
Not bad given Chambers missed his first game of rugby a week ago and was in doubt even to play on Saturday.
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“Last weekend I missed my first game. I had an grade one tear in my shoulder,’’ said Chambers, who is studying construction management at Western Sydney online and lives at Oatley.
“The backs coach called me on Monday and said I was a chance so I laid in a bath of ice all week and did push-ups as well.
“I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity of a start in a TV games as well.
“You world be surprised how well adrenaline works in a game.”
Chambers started his rugby career with the Burraneer Juniors, played throughout his schooling at Trinity Grammar and made the Waratahs Gen Blue program for the pre-season.
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A host of injuries then saw him elevated into the first grade side and playing off the bench before Saturday’s first start for the Rebels.
“We’ve had a lot of injuries at Souths. Todd (Louden, coach) was saying on the weekend there have been we 45 players through first grade but you have to expect injuries when you play like us,’’ he said.
These injuries have seriously curtailed Souths this season but the team is still in the race for the finals despite their 35-17 loss to competition favourites Northern Suburbs in round 11.
Southern Districts play Manly and the Western Harbour in their final two games of the comp - two matches they have the potential to win.