Narrabri edged out in women’s 10s thriller on grand final day

The 2022 Central North Rugby Union women’s 10s competition well and truly saved the best until last, but it was Tamworth Pirates that prevailed in Saturday’s grand final as Narrabri Rugby Club was defeated by seven points.

The Pirates won 31-24 in a superb match that kicked off the zone’s first grand final day since 2019 in style.

The Blue Boars came out firing and established an early 12-0 advantage after nine minutes of play, but Pirates went into half-time with a 19-12 lead which became 24-12 just 80 seconds after play restarted.

However, when Martha Harvey scooped the ball out of the ruck on halfway just inside the left sideline and snuck her way down the blind side before running away to score just one minute into the fourth quarter and Toni Gale converted it, Narrabri’s comeback was complete.

April Smith had dived over to make the score 24-17 a minute before the final break, so it was all locked up at 24 apiece when Gale added the extras after the Blue Boars’ fourth try.

However, Pirates had the final say as player-of-the-final Shae Partridge scored her second runaway try of the day with just four minutes to go, and Erika Maslen added the extras to break Narrabri hearts and make the score 31-24.

Despite Narrabri’s best efforts in the dying stages of the match, that was the way it remained.

It was a valiant effort by a Blue Boars side that has improved week in and week out and certainly saved its most impressive performance of the 2022 season for the big occasion.

Just like the entire Narrabri crowd and everyone cheering back home, coach Will Guest could not have been any prouder of his side.

“Our start couldn’t have been any better. It was by far our best start of the season,” he said.

“It was what we asked for and what we’d trained for all week.

“A few things went against us, which is natural. But to dig in like they did and only go down by a converted try was just great. It’s something Pirates haven’t been tested with all season.

“I’m proud of the girls. I even teared up when I had my last chat to them on the field.

“They put in such a good effort and kept trying all day.

“I thought we might get extra time when we scored that fourth try, but it is what it is.

“All we asked for was for the girls to leave everything out there on the field, and they did.”

The great start that Guest referred to included two tries and a sensational defensive effort in the opening nine minutes of the contest that saw the Blue Boars stun the minor premiers and establish a 12-0 advantage.

It took Narrabri just three minutes to find the first try of the contest. After winning a scrum down the right edge, 26 metres out from the line, halfback Martha Harvey fed the ball in before charging over the 22. She was tackled, but Narrabri produced a lightning play out of the ruck that saw the ball go through four sets of hands before Bella Cruickshank dived over into the left corner to make the score 5-0.

Just six minutes later, the Pirates fed a scrum 10 metres out from their own line and a huge defensive play by co-coach Kate Brown saw the ball fly loose into the in-goal, and it was Brooke McKinnon who reacted quickest as she dived on the ball to score Narrabri’s second try. Gale converted that try to put her side ahead by 12.

There was just enough time for a kick-off before the quarter-time break, and the Pirates found their rhythm as they created a three-on-one overlap down the right edge and Partridge flew 40 metres to make the score 12-5 at quarter-time.

Pirates scored another runaway try down the right just three minutes into the second quarter as Sophie Barr got on the scoresheet, and then Phoebe McLoughlin went over for the Pirates’ third just two minutes before half-time. Maslen converted both of those tries to make the score 19-12 at the main break.

Pirates scored 80 seconds after play restarted as Tyanna Kerr crossed to extend her side’s lead to 12 points, but the Blue Boars hit back with the final play of that period as April Smith charged over into the left corner to make the score 24-17 with 10 minutes to go.

Narrabri only required 45 seconds in the fourth quarter to even the score up at 24-all as halfback Harvey scored her sensational runaway try and Gale converted it.

But Pirates regained the lead three minutes later after they fed a scrum midway in their own territory and spread it right to Partridge, who ran 70 metres to score. Maslen converted that try and the score finished 31-24.