Blue Boars out of the CNRU finals

Despite a roaring home crowd behind them, the Narrabri Blue Boars first grade side was defeated by the Tamworth Pirates on Saturday at Dangar Park.

The Narrabri side was down 19-3 in the first half of the preliminary final but the Boars forced themselves back into the contest in the second half.

The Blue Boars scored early in the second stanza and Michael Cain brought the game to within six points in the 56th minute with a successful penalty goal.

But the Pirates closed out the match with two quick tries, one of which was converted to score a 31-13 lead with 11 minutes to go.

Narrabri tried to force a comeback as the home side crossed for two tries in the 76th and 79th minute respectively.

Cain converted the final try but it was too late as the visitors scored a 31-25 win and moved into the grand final in Walcha.

In the other matches on the day the under-19s Narrabri Blue Boars side was defeated 28-17 by Barraba/Gywdir and Narrabri’s women’s sevens were beaten by the Pirates 26-17.

In the reserve grade preliminary final Moree progressed to the grand final after beating Gunnedah 22-14.

The first grade Blue Boars team was kept tryless in the first half as the Pirates took a 19-3 lead into half time with the home side’s only points coming from the boot of Cain as he kicked a penalty goal in the 20th minute.

The hosts tried to force a comeback by scoring the first try of the second half as Samuel Kahl crossed seven minutes into the second stanza.

Cain converted that try to bring the Blue Boars back within nine points as the scoreline read 19-10.

The two sides battled for control of the match for the next 19 minutes but it was the Pirates who were able to break through.

Cain was able to slot a penalty goal in that time to bring the score to 19-13.

But in the 66th minute the Pirates scored an unconverted try and seven minutes later the visitors had secured its fourth straight grand final with a converted try making the score 31-13.

Narrabri tried to spark a comeback late in the second half when it scored through Sam Knight in the 76th minute.

In the 79th minute the Blue Boars crossed once more, this time through Tim Vaughn. Cain converted the shot at goal but it was too little too late for the home side.

The Pirates will now travel to Walcha to battle the Walcha Rams in the Central North Rugby Union grand final for the third consecutive year.

The Pirates have defeated the Rams in all three of those grand finals.

The first grade Narrabri Blue Boars will now rest up for the 2020 season and will look back on what has been a successful season, finishing second in the 2019 competition with 13 wins and a total of 73 points.

The Narrabri Blue Boars women’s sevens team had a back-and-forth contest with the Pirates.

The Blue Boars opened the scoring just three minutes into the match as Shaine Baker scores a wonderfully worked try down the right wing.

The conversion attempt was unsuccessful as the score read 5-nil to the Blue Boars.

But the visiting side would strike back just one minute later.

The Pirates scored their first try of the afternoon and successfully converted the shot at goal to take a 7-5 lead.

Narrabri’s Daisy Robinson then put the home side back into the lead with a terrific try which was scored down the left wing.

An unsuccessful conversion kept the game to a three-point gap as the scoreboard showed Narrabri leading 10-7 with two minutes left to play.

However the hosts had not finished their first half scoring spree.

April Smith took the ball, stepped one defender and broke through a hole in the Pirates defence.

Smith sprinted 25 metres to dive under the posts and score an amazing solo try.

Smith successfully converted her own try to earn Narrabri a 17-7 lead.

However Smith’s try was not the final five-pointer of the half as Tamworth scored right on the hooter, making the score 17-12 at the break.

The back and forth nature of the first half did not carry over to the second half as the Pirates dominated proceedings.

The Pirates scored a try just one minute into the first half.

The try was converted to give the Pirates a 19-17 lead.

It was four minutes later that the Blue Boars season was ended as Tamworth scored another converted try, taking the game to 26-17 and out of reach of the Blue Boars.

The Blue Boars hurled themselves at the Pirates for the remaining two minutes but the score remained 26-17 at the final whistle.

The Pirates will now take on the powerhouse of the women’s sevens competition, the Gunnedah Red Devils on Saturday afternoon at Walcha.

Narrabri’s under-19s trailed Barbara/Gwydir from the fifth minute of the contest but the home side’s defensive effort was incredible.

It took the visitors five minutes on the Blue Boars’ line and two penalties to cross for its opening try.

Narrabri struck quickly, scoring just four minutes later through Nicholas Tomlinson to make the score 7-5.

But two converted tries in quick succession by Barraba/Gywdir hurt the home side’s grand
final chances.

Trailing 21-5 as the hooter sounded, Narrabri remained patient and continued to pressure the visitor’s defence.

Eventually the defence cracked and Harrison Summers scored the Blue Boars second try down the right edge and finished the half 21-10.

Narrabri began the second half in full flight, forcing the away side to kick the ball from inside its own in-goal twice early in the second stanza.

But after 20 minutes of continual pressure by the Blue Boars, the visiting side broke the line from a scrum set-piece and scored the most crucial try of the afternoon.

Barraba/Gwydir led the contest 28-10 with just ten minutes remaining.

The Blue Boars had a late constellation try when Jake Sevil crossed with five minutes left in the contest.

Auley O’Shea converted the try but it was too little too late for the home side.

Barraba/Gwydir will face the Pirates in the under-19s grand final on Saturday.