Northern Suburbs beat Sydney University to break 41-year Shute Shield drought

Northern Suburbs have ended 41 years of heartbreak with a remarkable 13th straight win to beat Sydney University 28-15 to lift the Shute Shield for the first time since 1975.

Trailing 15-13 late in the second half, Norths kicked a penalty to go ahead by a point before winger Richard Woolf streaked down the right wing and past exuberant fans on the hill at North Sydney Oval to score the match-winner and end decades of disappointment.

Breakthrough: Richard Woolf scores Norths' shield-winning try.Credit: Christopher Pearce

"This is the best feeling ever," said Norths captain Will Miller. "It's unbelievable and it means a lot to a lot of people. I was only three years old the last time they were in a grand final [in 1998], it's just unbelievable.

"All the old boys from that '75 grand final have come up to us and said what it means to them and all the players that have gone before us. It's very pleasing to get over the line today."

It could have been a whole lot different, however, thanks to stellar performances from the retiring Tom Carter and Waratah Tolu Latu from Uni.

In his final game for the Students in a long and decorated career, Uni captain Carter fist-pumped the air and saluted a loyal supporter base after crashing under the posts to get his team within three points with about 20 minutes remaining.

Drought over: Norths enjoys a winning brew.Credit: Christopher Pearce

Minutes later, Latu put Uni ahead 15-13 – the first time they had led in the match – but Norths held strong with Woolf's five-pointer before another on the stroke of full-time prompted hundreds of fans draped in red and black storm the ground in jubilation.

Sydney University's dominance in the Shute Shield for many years – they had won seven of the previous 10 finals before Saturday's encounter – was neatly juxtaposed against the 41-year drought Norths were so desperate to break.

It is the first final Sydney University have lost since 2011.

"I've made a lot of people happy in Sydney tonight going out a loser," said Carter. "It's a shit way to go out in your career, isn't it. It sucks but congratulations to Norths, too good. They controlled the collision and the breakdown and were really good at the set-piece. I'm happy I don't have to do a pre-season again. I've given it my all. I didn't play for Australia and I didn't win a grand final in my last game."

High stakes: Norths claim a lineout at the North Sydney Oval.Credit: Christopher Pearce

After some heated pushing and shoving between rival fans as players made their way onto the ground, Norths' No.10 Angus Sinclair put the home side ahead with a penalty five minutes into the match.

Uni winger Christian Kagiassis levelled the scores with a crisp kick from a 45-degree angle after about a quarter of an hour, before a good old scrum battle ensued.

Norths were awarded three penalties on the trot and were able to exert scrum dominance on Uni's line.

Another excellent scrum gave referee William Houston no other option but to blow a penalty try to send Norths fans at the southern end of the ground into raptures.

Norths led 10-3 at the main break, not through expansive free-flowing rugby, but just by being solid and making fewer errors than the Students, whose backline movement was not at the level it has been all season.

Waratahs prop Tom Robertson, who has spent the last two weeks training with the Wallabies in the hope of a possible Test debut against the All Blacks, made his healthy share of runs and was well supported by fellow NSW representative Latu.

Halcyon days: Norths send fans into rapture.Credit: Christopher Pearce

It would be hard to argue Uni were the better team on the day as Norths brought their A-game at set-piece, particularly through the performance of No.8 and man of the match Hugh Sinclair.

Angus Sinclair nailed a crucial penalty with about 25 minutes remaining to put Norths up 13-3 and more importantly give them a buffer of more than a converted try.

After years of hosting the final at Concord Oval, there was no shortage of atmosphere as thousands of rugby fans from across Sydney piled onto the hill or into the famous stands to witness one of the great club rugby grand finals.