IT may only be early doors in the Hunter Rugby Union season, but University coach Sam Berry wants to avoid playing "catch-up" throughout 2024.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Students, poised to welcome Tom Taylor in round three, visit Hamilton at Passmore on Saturday following back-to-back losses despite encouraging performances against both of last year's grand finalists.
Uni went down to Merewether (28-19) last start after opening with a loss to Maitland (26-11).
"We've been in every game but we haven't been able to finish it off," Berry told the Newcastle Herald.
"Slow starts, behind by a try or two, get back even and then drop off a bit at the end.
"Probably makes this a pretty important game because it's such a hard competition, lose your first three and you're playing catch-up for the rest of the year and you don't really want to be doing that."
Taylor, who only joined the Students recently, appears set for a club debut in the first-row with Sapati Peniata shifting to hooker and replacing Corey Davis (ankle).
Uni centre Liam Kennedy (wrist) was injured at training this week.
Saturday's other fixture has Maitland hosting Southern Beaches.
In the women's competition on Saturday and Maitland, Southern Beaches round out a double header, Hamilton meet Cooks Hill, Nelson Bay welcome Uni. Wanderers beat Merewether 50-5 on Anzac Day.
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
