Robert Shute

The Manly Daily (Tuesday 18 August 2009) carried an article by John Morcombe about Robert Shute, after whom the NSW Rugby Union trophy, the Shute Shield was named. Playing in a trial match for The Rest against NSW at Manly Oval on 5 June 1922, Shute suffered a cerebral haemorrhage in a heavy tackle, and died at a Manly private hospital the following day. He had survived service with the Field Artillery in World War One, which must have intensified the loss felt by his family and friends. By coincidence, a photograph has recently been found which shows the Sydney University Engineering students of 1920, with Robert Shute in the front row. Some of his classmates went on to distinguished engineering careers, and there can be little doubt that he would have had similar success but for that fateful incident.

The Shute Shield

The Shute Shield was struck in honour of the late Robert Elliott Stewart Shute, who died on June 6, 1922, following a match at Manly Oval. Shute served as an infantryman in 30th Battery A.I.F. during World War One. On his return to Australia he took up his studies at Sydney University and joined the Sydney University rugby club as a front row forward in the first XV.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 7 June 1922 reported: “As a result of injuries received while playing at Manly in the Rugby football match between the team which toured New Zealand and the Next 15, Robert Elliott Shute, a front row forward in the latter team, died at a private hospital at Manly yesterday morning. The accident occurred during the latter portion of the first spell of the match. Shute secured the ball and when tackled fell heavily. He was removed to a private hospital, where it was ascertained that he was suffering from cerebral hemorrhage. Without recovering consciousness he died at 6am. A former pupil of Sydney Grammar School, Shute, who was 23 years of age, was a third year student at Sydney University and he played for the University first fifteen. He served in the AIF for four years."
The University club had the shield made following his death and donated it to the NSWRU to be used as a perpetual trophy for the Sydney first grade competition.