WHEN CSU won their maiden New Holland Cup premiership in 2019 it had plenty to do with the attacking prowess of Regan Hughes - but now it appears the students have found themselves another weapon.
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On Saturday at University Oval as CSU posted a 55-21 win over Dubbo Rhinos, flyhalf Ethan Cusick scored four tries, booted six conversions and a penalty in a personal haul of 35 points.
Just as red-headed centre Hughes seemed to score tries at will for CSU - in one match at University Oval in 2019 against Parkes he crossed five times - the Rhinos struggled to contain Cusick.
"Holy hell, he was amazing. He scored four 60-70 metre tries, they were all long rangers," CSU coach Dave Conyers marvelled.
"His running game is something else.
"We've put a lot of credit on Regan Hughes, but this guy, he rivals his ability in the running game, he really does."
Former Randwick colt Cusick has impressed from the opening round of the 2021 season, with his tally of tries now sitting on seven while his overall points haul stands at 74.
While that highlights the sort of threat he is, Conyers thinks the young number 10 is only getting better.
"This guy is really starting to show his cards in the last couple of week," the coach said.
There is no doubting that Cusick has been one of the star recruits for CSU this season, but as fellow member of the coaching staff Peter Plunkett points out, the club has benefited from new faces across the grades.
"The clubs is ticking along nicely, I haven't seen the club with the depth they've got in second grade now, they've always struggled in second grade," he said.
"We've got a lot of non-students playing, I think the penny has finally dropped that we are not just a university side. There are a lot of guys, especially in second grade but also in first grade who are non-students, and that just makes it a bit more solid."
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