Shute Shield 2021 Club Rugby Guide: Draw, TV, teams, results, players to watch

It’s one of the leading club rugby competitions in the world and the Shute Shield is set to return in 2021 bigger and stronger than ever. QUICK GUIDE including full season draw.

Gordon celebrating after winning the 2020 Shute Shield. Pic: Karen Watson.

It’s one of the top club rugby comps in the world and has a loyal following in NSW and beyond.

After a season interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic the competition is returning bigger and better than ever in 2021

We take a look at the clubs, past results, history and the draw in our quick guide.

HOW THE 2021 SHUTE SHIELD COMP WORKS

After last year’s revamped and reduced competition due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Shute Shield in 2021 will be run as an 18 week round robin competition.

The regular season will then be followed by a three week playoff series culminating in a season decider.

The top six teams at the end of the regular season will advance into the playoffs.

Gordon's Jack Dempsey in the Shute Shield grand final against Eastwood.

SHUTE SHIELD CLUBS, TEAMS AND NICKNAMES

Following the return of Newcastle and Penrith last season there are 12 clubs in the 2021 Shute Shield competition:

Eastern Suburbs, Beasties

Eastwood, Woodies

Gordon, Highlanders, Stags

Sydney University, Students

Manly, Marlins

West Harbour, Pirates

Northern Suburbs, Shoremen, Norths

Western Sydney, Two Blues

Randwick, Galloping Greens

Southern Districts, Rebels, Souths

Sydney University, Students

Warringah, Rats

Penrith, Emus

Hunter, Wildfires

2020 SHUTE SHIELD CHAMPIONS

The Gordon club from the north shore of Sydney.

Gordon won the minor premiership in 2020 and then went on to beat Eastwood 28-8 in the grand final of the 2020 competition shortened because of COVID.

Gordon broke a 22-year drought in winning the silverware.

Gordon booked their place in the final after defeating Easts in the preliminary final.

Eastwood booked their spots after an extra-time thriller against Norths.

The 2021 Shute Shield kicks off in April. Pic: Karen Watson

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SHUTE SHIELD HISTORY

The Shute Memorial Shield was struck in honour of Robert Elliott Stuart Shute by the Sydney University club.

The young front row forward died after playing a game in 1922 at just 23.

The Shield was donated to the NSWRFU in 1923 as a perpetual trophy.

NEW TEAMS

The Penrith Emus and Hunter Wildfires returned to the Shute Shield last season and will take their place in the comp again this season

The Manly v Warringah match-up is always one of the highlights of the season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

The Shute Shield provides a steady flow of young talent into the ranks of the NSW Waratahs and other Super Rugby clubs.

The likes of Tane Edmed, Triston Reilly, Jack Grant and Henry Robertson and other young players are recent graduates of the club rugby comp to Super Rugby.

It is hoped they and other Waratahs stars and Super Rugby gins will get time with tehir clubs in the 2021 competition.

TV, HOW TO

NewsLocal Sport will be doing extensive coverage of the competition and it’s players in 2021. Follow HERE.

Nine’s free-to-air channels will show some games later in the season and during the finals. Games will also be on Stan.

Check your local guides for full details.

THE LAST 10 SHUTE SHIELD WINNERS

2011 Eastwood, 2012 Sydney University, 2013 Sydney University, 2014 Eastwood, 2015 Eastwood, 2016 Northern Suburbs, 2017 Warringah, 2018 Sydney University, 2019 Sydney University, 2020 Gordon

There will be plenty of grudge matches this season.

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SHUTE SHIELD 2021 COMPLETE FIXTURE

ROUND ONE April 210

Manly v Gordon

Sydney Uni v Newcastle

Easts v Souths

Wests v Randwick

Penrith v Norths

Eastwood v Two Blues

Warringah Bye

ROUND TWO April 17

Gordon v Two Blues

Sydney Uni v Wests

Easts v Manly

Warringah v Randwick

Newcastle v Norths

Souths v Eastwood

Penrith Bye

ROUND THREE April 24

Norths v Gordon

Sydney Uni v Eastwood

Randwick v Easts

Souths v Warringah

Wests v Newcastle

Two Blues v Penrith

Manly Bye

ROUND FOUR May 1

Penrith v Sydney Uni

Easts v Eastwood

Newcastle v Randwick

Norths v Souths

Warringah v Wests

Manly v Two Blues

Gordon Bye

ROUND FIVE May 8

Gordon v Souths

Sydney Uni v Manly

Easts v Two Blues

Wests v Norths

Eastwood v Warringah

Newcastle v Penrith

Randwick Bye

ROUND SIX May 15

Randwick v Gordon

Sydney Uni v Easts

Norths v Eastwood

Warringah v Penrith

Manly v Wests

Souths v Newcastle

Two Blues Bye

ROUND 7 May 22

Wests v Gordon

Sydney Uni v Warringah

Newcastle v Easts

Penrith v Randwick

Norths v Two Blues

Souths v Manly

Eastwood Bye

ROUND EIGHT May 29

Gordon v Warringah

Penrith v Easts

Randwick v Souths

Manly v Norths

Eastwood v Newcastle

Two Blues v Wests

Sydney Uni Bye

ROUND NINE June 5

Gordon v Eastwood

Randwick v Sydney Uni

Easts v Norths

Warringah v Manly

Souths v Penrith

Newcastle v Two Blues

Wests Bye

ROUND 10 June 19

Sydney Uni v Gordon

Wests v Easts

Two Blues v Randwick

Norths v Warringah

Penrith v Eastwood

Manly v Newcastle

Souths Bye

ROUND 11 June 26

Gordon v Newcastle

Sydney Uni v Souths

Randwick v Norths

Eastwood v Manly

Warringah v Two Blues

Penrith v Wests

Easts Bye

ROUND 12 July 3

Easts v Gordon

Two Blues v Sydney Uni

Eastwood v Randwick

Newcastle v Warringah

Manly v Penrith

Souths v Wests

Norths Bye

ROUND 13 July 10

Gordon v Penrith

Norths v Sydney Uni

Warringah v Easts

Randwick v Manly

Wests v Eastwood

Two Blues v Souths

Newcastle Bye

ROUND 14 July 17

Eastwood v Gordon

Sydney Uni v Randwick

Easts v Newcastle

Souths v Norths

Wests v Manly

Penrith v Two Blues

Warringah Bye

ROUND 15 July 24

Gordon v Wests

Manly v Sydney Uni

Norths v Easts

Randwick v Warringah

Two Blues v Eastwood

Newcastle v Souths

Penrith Bye

ROUND 16: July 31

Gordon v Norths

Sydney Uni v Easts

Randwick v Penrith

Newcastle v Eastwood

Warringah v Souths

Wests v Two Blues

Manly Bye

ROUND 17 August 8

Warringah v Gordon

Souths v Sydney Uni

Easts v Randwick

Eastwood v Norths

Two Blues v Manly

Penrith v Newcastle

Wests Bye

ROUND 18 August 14

Two Blues v Gordon

Eastwood v Sydney Uni

Manly v Easts

Randwick v Wests

Norths v Newcastle

Penrith v Warringah

Souths Bye

ROUND 19 August 21

Gordon v Randwick

Newcastle v Sydney Uni

Two Blues v Easts

Norths v Penrith

Manly v Warringah

Wests v Souths

Eastwood Bye

FINALS 2021

Week 1 Finals: August 28

Week 2 Finals: September 4

Grand Final: September 11

MORE RUGBY AND LOCAL SPORT HERE

Originally published as Shute Shield 2021 Club Rugby Guide: Draw, TV, teams, results, players to watch