There was joy and heartache at full-time for Bond University's two teams bidding for the Australian Club Championship in Sydney today.
The contrast in emotions could not have been more stark.
The Bull Sharks women were comprehensive 24-0 victors over Warringah to again rule as the champion women's team in the country.
The Bull Sharks men played strongly to lead 19-10 at half-time at Pittwater Rugby Park before being overrun 34-19 by home side Warringah Rats.
The women cranked up the pressure behind a steamrolling scrum led by skipper Elisha Godsiff and her forwards.
Fullback Zara Colless potted three penalty goals for a 9-0 lead before the defining play just before half-time.
Standout hooker Mahlia Snowden counter-rucked and the turnover ball was swiftly relayed to the right edge for winger Eva Doblo.
The ponytailed express put on a classic in-and-away to shed the final defender and dashed in from halfway. The Colless conversion gave the Bull Sharks a 16-0 lead.
"We're absolutely stoked. We felt 'on' from the warm-up," Doblo enthused.
"The way our scrum and our forwards were working created so much open space out wide. The plan was to apply scoreline pressure as we did and have more of a crack towards the end of the half when bodies were tiring."
Lock Lucy Thorpe popped a neat pass to flyhalf Cobie-Jane Morgan for the second half try that put any Warringah comeback beyond reach.
The Bull Sharks men opened strongly with flyhalf Luke Depiazzi looping around centre Tyler Campbell to set up an early try for winger Deon Evans-Ao-Leifi.
When Campbell used his strength for a pick-and-go try close to the forwards there was the whiff that Bond were right in this.
The 19-10 half-time lead was deserved but the Rats flipped momentum decisively in the second half with an unanswered run of 24 points.
The match was still in the balance at 29-19 entering the final 10 minutes with the Bull Sharks hard on attack. A bungled 5m lineout became even more costly when a turnover on halfway in the ensuing play became a runaway try to Rats winger Charlie Tupu.
Again, the day was a wonderful reflection of the can-do attitude in club rugby.
