CLEAN SWEEP: Narrabri Rugby Club wins all four games at Dangar Park on ladies’ day

Narrabri Rugby Club’s 2021 ladies’ day will go down as one of the club’s most memorable events after a massive Dangar Park crowd cheered the Blue Boars on to four victories across three grades as the club completed a clean sweep of the Gunnedah Red Devils on Saturday.

The Blue Boars’ women’s sevens side kicked off the round eight matchday with 19-12 and 21-10 victories before the hosts won the reserve grade game 34-10 and the first grade contest 36-7.

The Narrabri first XV’s 29-point victory, which it scored under lights, saw it leapfrog Gunnedah into first place on the Central North Rugby Union first grade ladder.

The Blue Boars had secured a bonus point by half-time after scoring four tries in the opening 40 minutes to establish a 24-0 lead.

Prop Daniel Baker scored the first try of the contest after just five minutes to make the score 5-0 which became 12-0 in the 11th minute when Jacob Nichols converted a Jydon Hill try.

Skipper Matt Schwager crossed for the side’s third before Baker claimed a double with a 35th-minute five-pointer after which Nichols kicked his second conversion.

Winger James Albert then chipped in with the Blue Boars’ fifth try of the contest just six minutes after play restarted which made the score 29-0.

Gunnedah was awarded a penalty try with five minutes left to play which saw Narrabri’s Nick Anderson yellow carded for a ruck infringement.

However, the Blue Boars had the final say as milestone man Matt McDonnell crossed for the final try.

In his 150th game for the club, McDonnell converted the try as loud cheers could be heard right around Narrabri West as the Blue Boars won their sixth match of the season from seven attempts.

The other three round eight first grade games were won by Walcha, Inverell and Scone while Pirates had the bye.

Walcha scored a massive 74-5 home ground victory against Quirindi, Inverell downed Moree 55-12 and Scone scored its first win of the season when it outscored Barraba 34-15.

Earlier in the day at Dangar Park, Narrabri’s women’s sevens side won its first game of the season when it downed Gunnedah 19-12 in the first ladies’ day game.

Natalia Smith bagged a double in that victory and Shona McFarland scored a try and kicked a conversion. Zoe Tomlinson also kicked a conversion in the seven-point win.

McFarland then scored two more tries in the side’s 21-10 win against Gunnedah in game two and added six extra points off the boot. Teammate Peta Cox also crossed for a try for the Blue Boars.

In the second grade game, Narrabri’s Clayton Pursche crossed for two tries and teammates Connor Parkes, Chris Watkins, Luke Tuckey and Will Ciesiolka claimed one each in their team’s 24-point win from which they received a bonus point.

The Blue Boars’ second grade team has the bye in round nine on Saturday while the club’s first grade and women’s sevens teams travel away from home to take on Barraba.