When the Central West competition was restructured after season 2017, it saw CSU opt to play in the second-tier New Holland Cup while Bulldogs remained in the Blowes Cup.

But with dwindling numbers in the third grade Blowes Cup competition - only Bulldogs and Orange Emus managed to muster teams regularly in 2019 - a new chapter in the Bathurst rivalry emerged.

For season 2020 Bulldogs registered a side in the New Holland Cup. It will essentially be its third grade outfit which plays when - and if - the suspension of all competitions due to the coronavirus is lifted.

It means that CSU - the defending New Holland Cup champions - are likely to find themselves holding favouritism when they meet Bulldogs for the first time in more than three years.

Since the students claimed the Blowes Clothing Cup in 2004, they have struggled in the Bathurst derby.

Bulldogs have won 22 of the 26 derbies since that point and have not lost to CSU since June 2012.

While the wait continues before CSU gets its chance to end that period of Bulldog dominance, let's reflect on some of the battles between the rivals.

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FOR the first time in four years, CSU managed to draw first blood in the annual battle for Bathurst bragging rights when downing Bulldogs 25-12.

Not since posting a 20-5 win over the Bulldogs in 2003 had CSU taken the first honours and they certainly had to fight hard for them.

After leading 13-12 at the break, CSU produced a gritty defensive effort to shut their rivals out in the second stanza.

That, as well as tries to centre Dom Maley and scrumhalf Dan Grieves, saw the students prevail.

It capped off a brilliant day for CSU as they pulled off the rare feat of beating Bulldogs across all four grades contested.

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CSU headed into the first derby of 2010 in hot form - they had annihilated Dubbo Rhinos in a 110-point effort - yet that form could not be extended.

Bulldogs' focus on defence showed as they posted a 23-13 victory, fullback Scott Johnston and centre Paul Miller especially impressive.

Hosting the Friday night fixture, Bulldogs scored the first 18 points and held CSU to nil in the opening 40 minutes.

"Our defence was what we wanted to focus on. We knew that they knew how to score points and throw the ball around," Bulldogs coach Murray Hooper said.

CSU broke a seven-match losing streak at the hands of Bulldogs - one which extended over four years - when toppling Bulldogs 18-10.

It was a gripping contest which was locked at 10-all at the break, but a Matt Coote penalty put CSU ahead before tight-head prop Charlie Croucher went over to seal the result.

Coote's kicking game was strong throughout, half Dom Longhurst engineered plenty of attacking movements while second rower Nick Hughes-Clapp was another to impress for the students.

The match was the first time since 2003 - when CSU won 20-5 - that Bulldogs had been restricted to just a single try in a derby. It came via Hayden Tidswell.

"The defence was very good and the fact we were able to match them early and go to half-time level meant that we could run over them towards the end," CSU coach Morgan Grivas said.

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IT took two tries against the run of play from winger Tom Jones to get Bulldogs over the line in a 28-22 win against CSU in this hard-fought affair.

The first came as Jones charged down a Dom Longhurst kick deep in CSU's half and regathered to score.

His second came when he toed ahead a pass which had gone to ground, before picking up the ball and crossing the stripe.

"I'm pretty gutted," CSU coach Morgan Grivas said. "They scored a couple of tries from charge downs and kicks ... the story of our season has been the little mistakes and the fact we have been making more of them than our opposition."

THIS game stands as the last time CSU beat Bulldogs in a Central West Rugby Union contest, the students holding on for a 12-10 win.

All of the students' points came in the first half of a match played in torrential rain, but most telling was a 20-minute period in the second stanza when they produced resolute defence to hold out Bulldogs.

The back line combination of Tom Keft, Cam Backhouse and Jack Garrad excelled for CSU.

"That was just a good, hard, tough game of rugby union," CSU coach Luke Costello said. "There were times when they were getting very close to scoring, but we hung in there."

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CSU may have lost the last Bathurst derby of 2012, but their 28-12 defeat at the hands of Bulldogs was still good enough to seem them scrape into that year's finals.

It was a match that saw five lead changes, the result only being assured when Bulldogs winger Bart Bogart crossed for his second try on full-time.

It meant the students had lost five of their last six matches, were very nearly pushed of of the top-five by Emus and missed their chance to host a home final.

"BASICALLY we don't know how to win." They were the words of CSU coach Pip McIntosh as his side let a 16-point lead slip to suffer a 28-24 loss to Bulldogs.

CSU had looked on track to snap a five-year losing streak at the hands of Bulldogs as number 8 Paul Lasalo and five-eighth Jack Keppel made good yards, while Will Sears posed a huge threat on the wing.

But with 15 minutes to go Cameron Plummer crossed in the left corner to give Bulldogs the lead and they held on.

WHILE Bulldogs enjoyed some dominant displays against CSU over the past decade, the 2017 season opener marked the first time they managed to crack 50 points.

Playing under lights at Ashwood Park, CSU actually struck the first blow thanks to a Jack Keppel penalty goal.

But Bulldogs took the lead soon after when driving over from a scrum. By half-time the hosts led by 28 points and at the final whistle the score read 58-10.

Kurt Weekes finished with a personal tally of 18 points.

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THE most recent meeting between the Bathurst sides saw Bulldogs post their biggest win over the students in more than a decade - crushing CSU 71-5.

Nine different Bulldogs crossed for tries that afternoon at University Oval with Alex Weal and Josh Oxley both bagging a brace.

Bulldogs went on the attack from the opening kick-off - Peter Fitzsimmons led the way - and impressed in the line-outs as they extended their winning streak over the students to 11 games.

CSU five-eighth Jack Keppel, who was yellow carded in the first half, was left to lament poor options.

"Our plan was to go forward with the ball before moving it out wide ... but too often we tried to go wide early and that cost us," he said.

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