Blue Boars sink the Pirate ship to reach second straight CNRU tens grand final

Narrabri Rugby Club will be represented on Central North Rugby Union’s 2023 season grand final day in the women’s tens division after the Blue Boars scored a dominant 22-12 preliminary final victory in Gunnedah on Saturday.

They took on defending champions Tamworth Pirates in the do-or-die clash and overpowered the side that beat them at the same venue in the 2022 final to return to the big dance.

They will now take on the Gunnedah Red Devils at Chillingworth Oval this Saturday in the first match of the day ahead of the first and second grade games, which will both see Tamworth Pirates take on Moree Bulls.

Narrabri outscored the Pirates four tries to one in the preliminary final in Gunnedah and both sides kicked one conversion each. Narrabri led 22-0 early in the third quarter before the Tamworth side hit back with all 12 of their points before the final break, but neither side could add to the scoreboard in the fourth and final term as Narrabri ran away with the 10-point win.

Blue Boars president and women’s tens team co-coach Mick Coffey told The Courier his side were exceptional on the day.

“They played out of their skin,” he said.

“We were poor the week before when we played Gunnedah. We just weren’t anywhere near as good as we could be in that game. There was a bit of soul-searching in the week leading up to this game, and everyone was really honest about what we needed to do and how we needed to improve.

“We knew when we saw Pirates had such a strong lineup with plenty of talent and plenty of speed that if we didn’t play to our potential, we were not going to the grand final. We had to aim up and execute, which the girls all did.

“The Thursday night training often says a lot and translates into Saturday. The week before, Thursday was pretty average and didn’t feel great, whereas the Thursday just gone, well we’ve been getting some of the male players to come and have a ball run against us, and the guys that have done both sessions, every one of them said ‘that’s such a difference’. It flowed out onto the field. It was a much better performance.

“It’s the defensive efforts of this team that are winning them the games. We are defending really well.

“We are also playing patient and mature footy, which allows them to wait until the opportunities do come rather than trying to force things to happen, which rarely works. An immature or a selfish team will always try to score off every play, but our girls are defending their hearts out, and then when we get the ball, they are playing sensible footy, and when the opportunity is there to shift it to shape and speed, we do.

“It’s a credit to them how they are playing.”

Narrabri struck early when Bella Cruickshank opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a try that her skipper Toni Gale converted to make the score 7-0.

It remained that way at quarter-time before Gale extended the lead to 12 points with a try just 15 seconds into the second period after receiving the kick-off and breaking the line on her way to a fantastic 60-metre effort.

Narrabri continued to roll through the Pirates defence as they were only tackled once after the following kick-off before they went in again, and this time, it was leading try-scorer Cassidy Morley who charged away to score a long-range try after she was released on the halfway line by Esta Kalatzis. That was the side’s third try, which made the score 17-0, and that was the way it remained at half-time as the Blue Boars went into the main break with a dominant lead.

That lead was extended to 22 points just over a minute after play restarted when Gale dived in for her second try of the contest. Narrabri had kicked off to restart play but won the ball back almost immediately when Kalatzis produced a crucial steal. A handful of powerful runs got the Blue Boars within striking distance, and then Gale made no mistake when she received a pass from Morley close to the line.

Pirates then scored twice in quick succession midway through the third quarter, but Narrabri adjusted and ensured they did not concede again as they earned a 22-12 victory to join Gunnedah in the grand final.

With the Pirates waiting in both of the men’s divisions, the Moree Bulls prevailed in both the first and second grade preliminary finals to join them.

The Bulls beat Barraba Rams 30-8 in the second grade contest and then upset Gunnedah Red Devils 37-29 in the first grade contest.

The score was locked 17-all at half-time in the main game after both sides scored two converted tries and kicked a penalty goal in the opening 40 minutes.

Moree scored a penalty goal just two minutes into the second half to go ahead 20-17, but Gunnedah then took a 24-20 lead with a 48th-minute converted try and went in again to stretch their advantage to nine points in the 58th minute.

However, the Bulls ran in converted tries in the 66th and 72nd minutes to establish a late 34-29 lead, and they slotted a penalty goal to add three more points with three minutes left to make it a two-possession game.

Gunnedah were unable to score again as Moree qualified for their first grand final since 2015, back when they were beaten 30-20 by Narrabri Blue Boars.