Penrith Rugby Club cut from Shute Shield

Western Sydney will be without a senior club for the first time in 27 years with Penrith Rugby Club cut from the Shute Shield.

Penrith have been axed from the Shute Shield. Picture: Karen Watson.

Penrith Rugby Club has been cut from the Shute Shield competition, effective immediately, leaving the western Sydney region of Sydney without a senior club for the first time in 27 years.

The Sydney Rugby Union took the decision early this morning with president David Begg citing Penrith’s failure to meet a number of preconditions as the cause for taking that action.

The premiership table reverts to day one, with none of the four clubs who have already played Penrith so far this season — Southern Districts, Sydney Uni, Gordon and Warringah — being credited with their large wins over the side. Instead, each club will be credited with a 28-0 victory. Those clubs still to play Penrith will have a bye instead.

“It’s a multiple series of factors,” said Begg, explaining the decision. “Transgressions to criteria we set down for their continued involvement in the competition and the lack of an effectively-functioning rugby club at the moment. It’s not serving the interests of western Sydney as well as we would have liked.”

Penrith president Jim Hook has been notified, as indeed have Rugby Australia and the NSW Rugby Union.

Begg is hoping that current Penrith players will be able to find soft landing with other nearby clubs.