Narrabri Rugby Club’s first XV scores a dominant win in its return to Dangar Park

Narrabri Rugby Club’s first XV coach Jake Packer was full of praise for his men following a dominant 38-12 win against Quirindi Lions at Dangar Park in the third round of the 2022 Central North Rugby Union on Saturday.

In what was Packer’s second game in charge of the Blue Boars, just one day after his 27th birthday, the home side registered six conversions to two and kicked four conversions to one in a bonus point victory, which saw it maintain its top-of-the-table status.

It was the side’s first game on home soil in the new campaign after it had a bye in round one and travelled to Scone in round two.

The Blue Boars led 14-5 at half-time after Jydon Hill (10th minute) and Alex Pay (26th minute) crossed for tries, both of which Jacob Nichols converted.

Daniel Calavassy then scored a try for the visitors four minutes out from the break.

Two of the side’s newest additions, hooker Hamish Moore and winger Felix Cobb-Johnson, went over for a try each in the first seven minutes of the second stanza to secure Narrabri a bonus point and put the hosts ahead 24-5.

The Lions reduced their deficit to 12 points with a converted try in the 58th minute, but the hosts put the result beyond doubt when Linton Grumley (64th minute) and Jacob Nichols (75th minute) dived over the stripe in the final 20 minutes of the match.

Nichols converted both of those tries to make the final score 38-12.

Packer told The Courier that he was pleased with the Blue Boars’ defence during their first two games.

“We’re always happy with a win and the performance was good,” he said of Saturday’s victory.

“The conditions were wet and soggy so we always knew it was going to be a bit of a slug-fest.

“They were tough, Quirindi. They came to play and on the back of a win against Walcha, they were confident.

“They were good at the ruck, good at the breakdowns and their counter rucks were strong, so we had to work for it.

“There were times there we had to dig deep in defence, and we did that, which was really good. Something I’m really happy with this year, well since the start of the season, is how good our defence has been.

“It’s been very strong.

“We had a really good pre-season and our fitness is really good and our communication is a lot better.

“The boys are communicating in the line together and they are not giving up on plays. They are really working for each other and you can see that’s why our defence has been so strong, especially on our line.”

Packer commended the entire team but said Linton Grumley and Daniel Kahl played instrumental roles in Saturday’s win.

“Linton Grumley played probably the best game I’ve seen him play. He was phenomenal,” Packer said.

“He even got 10 in the bin and was unreal.

“He was everywhere, his running game was strong and he got over the ball well.

“Then Daniel Kahl, it was probably one of the best games I’ve seen him play too.

“His communication out there was good, he had some really good runs, and he had some really good tip-on passes that created opportunities for our outside forwards.”

Meanwhile, the 2022 Kookaburra Challenge Cup was contested for the first time in round three on Saturday when Gunnedah Red Devils played their first game of the 2022 first grade season. They scored a 57-7 win on home soil against Scone Brumbies to retain the cup.

The Kookaburra Challenge Cup will be defended weekly this season by the team which holds it.

If the holder of the cup is beaten, its opposition becomes the new holders going into the next round.

The team that holds it at the end of the regular season will be crowned Kookaburra Challenge Cup winners for 2022.

Gunnedah earned the right to hold the cup first after winning the minor premiership in 2021, but only played for the first time this year on Saturday after being dealt the round one bye and then meeting Barraba/Gwydir, which are not fielding a first grade side this year, in round two.

Other round three winners were the Tamworth Pirates and Walcha Rams, which both prevailed on home soil. The Pirates downed the Inverell Highlanders 19-14 and the Rams beat the Moree Bulls 28-14.

In second grade, the Blue Boars won 19-5 against the Lions on Saturday to retain their spot on top of the table.

Mitch Creighton scored the only try in the opening 35-minute half, which Toby Keys converted to make the score 7-0.

Quirindi scored eight minutes after play restarted to reduce the deficit to 7-5 before Connor Parkes crossed in the 55th minute to extend Narrabri’s lead to seven.

Jimmy Schwager scored a try on the hour-mark and converted it, which was the final time the scorers were troubled as the hosts registered their third consecutive win.

The Blue Boars have amassed an impressive for and against total of 124 points in the opening three rounds of the second grade season after scoring 129 points and only conceding five.

Narrabri Rugby Club will hit the road this Saturday for its round four fixtures in both first and reserve grade against the Moree Bulls, which it will play at Weebolla Oval.

Its women’s 10s side has the round four bye following a big win in round three on Saturday.