North Cup: Defending premiers CSU will host Mudgee in preliminary final

It's not that former Wallaroo Smyth, who scored three tries to help Narromine to a 27-12 win over CSU in the major semi-final, will be there in the students' camp at University Oval.

Rather CSU coach Peter Plunkett said watching her in action highlighted areas in which his side can improve and hopefully join Narromine in the North Cup grand final.

"We knew Narromine were going to be strong and all the hype around Rebecca Smyth was warranted, she was a standout. But there was a lot of positives for us too in playing against her," Plunkett said.

"She dissected our game fairly well so there are a lot of places, a lot of spaces in our own game we can tighten up for this week. I just watched what she was doing and there's a lot to be learned from her, so we'll take that and learn for this week."

Before falling to Narromine in the first grand final qualifier, CSU had charged to an undefeated minor premiership and boasted the best attacking and defensive record of any side in the competition.

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Now they are facing elimination, but Plunkett is confident his squad can respond.

"We are confident but we have to put it on the field, not let it slip like we did last week," he said.

"They were obviously terribly disappointed, but they knew it was probably their own making really.

"I think we just have to lick our wounds and learn from that and focus on Mudgee this week, which will be another hard game for us, and worry about Narromine next week if we get through this week."

Standing in the way of CSU and a rematch against Narromine is Mudgee - a side which CSU has not lost to since returning to Central West Rugby Union in 2018.

CSU beat Mudgee 29-17 in last year's grand final to become the first side to lift the North Cup and this season the students have bettered the Wombats twice, winning 52-19 then 43-22.

But Plunkett knows better than to underestimate Mudgee, who beat Parkes 33-8 in last Sunday's minor semi-final to keep its premiership hopes alive.

"They've got some really good players and they really play with a lot of heart and character and they always come at us," he said.

"They showed that through the rounds, there were long passages where they were dominant, so it's not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination and we'll have to go out a bit more focussed than we were last week, that's for sure.

"There's a bit of history with that club, which is good, but we'll be up for it. A week is a long time in football and hopefully we can turn it around and play to the style of game we can play.

"The field up there, as a playing surface, I think it will be good. There are wet patches, but for the amount of rain we've had up here I think it will be pretty good."

Kick-off is set for 12.30pm Saturday at University Oval.

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