The first silverware of grand final day last weekend headed south over the Harbour Bridge, as Sydney University lifted their fourth JR Henderson Cup in the last five years with a hard-fought 17-14 win over Northern Suburbs.

Just 10 seconds at Chatswood Oval earlier this season were enough to confirm that Paula Balekana was the real deal. Receiving the ball on his own 10 metre line and a few steps inside the right touchline, the electric Gordon winger stepped his way inside one opposition defender and outside another, before putting on the after-burners to effortlessly jink past two more and hold off a desperate chaser on his way to yet another five-pointer for the Highlanders.

It seems somewhat churlish to be ramping up the importance of a game of rugby for a player, when you consider the journey that Warringah’s talismanic no.8 Sam Ward has been on just to get here.