CSU face an uphill battle to keep their 2014 Central West Rugby Union second grade hopes alive this Sunday when they take on Orange Emus at Ashwood Park in their elimination semi-final.

Throughout the season there has been a big gap between the top four sides and the rest of the competition. Even if CSU survive this weekend, some tougher challenges await.

Their coach Jack Garrad, who’s own field time was severely curtailed this season due to injury, said that even within that top four there is a large gulf.  It makes his team’s task a huge one.

“Those three teams at the top, Orange City, Bulldogs and Dubbo are very strong, ’Roos and City both absolutely towelled us up,” Garrad said.

“Emus do strike us as the side that we realistically can defeat, but if we get through that match, cracking one of the top three sides is going to be a big ask.”

In their first meeting this season, CSU were close for most of the contest but faded to lose 41-8 against Emus in Orange before a marked improvement in round 11, going down 17-7.

There is no surprise as to the tactics that Garrad and his players will be trying to incorporate into their game plan, nor those that they are likely to be facing.

“They [Emus] like to bash it up the middle,” he said.

“Like all the CSU teams we’re not very big, so we will just have to try and hold them as best we can and then shift it wide to try and get around them.

“The first time we met we were just playing in an absolute mud pit and it didn’t help us much, but the second time around was a really close game and one that we can take some confidence from.”

The university club’s first XV had some tough times due to injury at stages of the 2014 season, but second grade is one area where that may prove to be a blessing.

The majority of the starting squad have stepped into first grade at some point and that extra experience against top-line opposition will prove invaluable on Sunday.

“A lot of the second graders had to step up at times, they know what it takes to play against the strong teams in the strongest grade,” Garrad said.

“I think Gus Flannery at five-eighth will be very important, he is a quiet achiever but guides the team around very well.

“Dom Alexander in the second row is another who has been very good for us this season, and Pat Fahey at breakaway is one of our leaders on the field. They’ll all be crucial for us.”

CSU play Orange Emus from 1.30pm on Sunday afternoon.