Gleeson thrilled with Blue Boars’ defensive effort in dominant victory on home soil

Narrabri Rugby Club’s first XV scored their second straight win on Saturday when they downed Scone Brumbies 41-3 at Dangar Park in round four of the 2024 Central North Rugby Union season.

With more than 20 Narrabri players injured or otherwise unavailable from the club’s senior men’s playing group, it was a brave effort by a Blue Boars side that had players lining up out of position and one even playing his first game of rugby union.

The hosts led 8-0 at the half-time break after Joe Baker scored the first try of the game in the seventh minute and then Jydon Hill kicked a penalty goal in the 39th, but the Brumbies hit back two minutes into the second stanza when fullback Zac Miller slotted a penalty goal to make the score 8-3.

Baker scored his second try of the contest and his fifth of the season in the 48th minute before Hill made no mistake with the conversion to make the score 15-3, and that got the ball rolling as the hosts piled on four more tries to run away with the win.

Debutant and rugby newcomer Jake Rumsby set up the home side’s third in the 65th minute with a powerful run and offload close to the line that allowed Sam Spanton to charge his way over the tryline, and then Jimmy Schwager secured a bonus point with the side’s fourth try of the contest in the 71st minute.

Hill converted both of those five-pointers to make the score 29-3, and then two late tries to winger James Baker made the score 39-3 before Hill added the extras with his last kick of the day to make it 41-3.

The Blue Boars’ first grade coach Craig Gleeson was pleased with the result and thought his side showed great resilience on Saturday while producing several quality patches of play throughout the 80 minutes.

“We played about 30 minutes of good footy in the second half, and our first 10 minutes of the game was also pretty good footy too,” Gleeson told The Courier.

“We were sticking to our game plan, but all of a sudden we got a bit frantic and again we lost our composure.

“But to the boys’ credit, we spoke before the game that our goal was to keep Scone to zero, and although they got that penalty goal, I felt we did that job pretty well. With so many changes, our main goal was defending well. Off the back of that defence we thought we’d come home strong. We really believe in our fitness.

“I couldn’t have been prouder of our guys’ effort in defence. It was quite a physical game. Scone had some big boys and they took it to us in the first half. They weren’t going to let us have it easy that’s for sure.”

Gleeson said it was also special to play in front of a home crowd for the first time this season.

“It was great to play at home,” he said.

“Obviously getting back there to Dangar Park for the first time feels a little bit different, a bit more special.

“Those first couple of away games are always good, but to get the first home game under your belt and to feel that great home support is just fantastic.”

The other round four winners were Moree Bulls and Inverell Highlanders on Saturday. Moree scored a 49-22 home ground victory against Gunnedah Red Devils while Inverell prevailed 36-31 away from home against Quirindi Lions. Tamworth Pirates had the bye in round four.

The Blue Boars’ first grade side will not play again until round seven on Saturday, May 18, when they travel to take on Inverell following a full club bye this weekend and a bye in round six when the Narrabri second grade and women’s teams host Barraba at Dangar Park.

Narrabri’s second grade side scored a dominant victory of their own on Saturday when they beat Scone 69-0.

Brenton Cochrane lined up for his first game of the season and his first match for the Blue Boars in many years, and he starred with four tries and four conversions.

The Blue Boars are now fourth in second grade and fifth in first grade, and both sides can climb the ladder this Saturday in round five when they pick up points for the bye.

The first grade win made it a clean sweep over the Brumbies for the Blue Boars after they kicked off the day with a dominant 63-14 win in the women’s tens contest.