It’s rare – and not remembered in recent times – for a sixth place team to topple a competition bemouth at the start of playoffs and go on win the Sydney Rugby Union Colts shield.

But Manly Coach Harry Jones believes he might just have the tight knit crew capable of achieving it.

While admitting Manly have “a mountain to climb’’ to get over Randwick in their do-or-die semi-final on Saturday, he still believes on their best day his young team could pull off an upset.

The clash will be one of three 1st Colts semi-finals streamed live and free on KommunityTV across the weekend.

Jones points to Manly’s ability to beat other top six teams this season as backing for his confidence in his young team.

“They have proved themselves the top team but Randwick, like anyone is beatable,’’ he said.

“We beat them in the second half of our last game against them

“This season we have beaten Gordon and Easts but have had a tough draw, playing all the top six twice.

But we have played our two worst games against Randwick probably and gave them too much credit. I think they were over awed and focused too much on them.’’

Critical for Manly will be their ability to string together 80 full minutes of good football without lapses or moments of madness and to “play without fear’’.

Randwick mauled Manly in their two games this season, beating them 52-12 in round nine and then 36–15 at Manly Oval in round 16.

But if anyone can halt the tide, Jones believes it is his young charges.

“I have played rugby and coached for over 20 years and I have never seen a team come together like this,’’ he said.

“There are Victorians, players from country and regional areas, overseas and others.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, how they have become such good mates off the field.

“It’s a credit to them, what they have built.’’

Randwick go into the match as favourites and in the knowledge if they lose they still progress courtesy of their minor premiership title.

A loss and Manly will be eliminated.

The battle between Gordon and Warringah at 3pm is expected to be a cracker.

The teams go into this semi-final with a win each this season.

Gordon defeated Warringah 41–28 in Round 2 at Rat Park and then Warringah edged Gordon 24–22 in Round 17 at Chatswood intheir next meeting.

The game expected to be the closest is that between Sydney University and Eastern Suburbs at Woolahra Oval on Sunday from 3pm.

These two famous old clubs held each other to a 29–29 draw a fortnight ago.

In this game Easts had their Australian under 20 players back in the fray, including outside centre Zach Fittler.

However, Fittler has been rushed over to France to join his new team Pau after signing a professional contract with the top tier club.

In their first battle this season in round eight Easts defeated Sydney University 27–24.

In that match try scorer Aston Weir scored a trifecta for the Beasties.

Originally published as 2026 Sydney Rugby Union 1st Colts Semi-Finals live stream: Randwick v Manly, Warringah v Gordon, Easts v Sydney Uni