Blue Boars women enjoy big win in pre-season 10s match against Albies

Narrabri Rugby Club’s women’s 10s team lined up for its first pre-season match on Saturday ahead of the fast approaching Central North Rugby Union campaign and produced a top-quality performance as it downed St Albert’s College 35-5.

The game was contested across four 10-minute quarters and was played at Dangar Park, where it kicked off proceedings ahead of the Hannaford-Southwell Shield match.

There were some new and returning faces among the Blue Boars side and they gelled well together throughout the 30-point victory.

Narrabri Rugby Club president and women’s team co-coach Mick Coffey told The Courier that he was pleased with his team’s performance on the day, but added that the score was not a true reflection of the toughness that the Albies team showed.

“We won on the scoreboard quite comfortably, but it certainly wasn’t as easy as it indicated,” Coffey said.

“We had a bit of a slapped together team, for example Bella Cruickshank played halfback and we only put that on her in the sheds not long before we went out.

“We had a few players away, a few out injured and a few playing their first game for the club.

“We were pretty inexperienced and were playing out of condition but I thought it was pretty impressive the way they played.

“I thought they played really well for our first hitout.

“There were new combinations we had to establish.

“We were lacking a little bit though at supporting the ball carrier at times, so we will do a few drills to help get the girls closer in support.

“We can also be more effective with our decision-making at the breakdown too, which will make a lot of difference.

“But it was a very encouraging start and all of the girls should be happy with the way they played.”

One of the Blue Boars’ new recruits, Abbey Anderson, drew praise from Coffey for her performance.

Anderson played for the first time last month at the Santos Festival of Rugby where she suffered a broken nose early in the intra-club game, but she bounced back in style.

“Abbey started on the wing but we see her role being in the forward pack, so in the second half we managed to get her into loosehead prop, and even though she wasn’t there for too long, she still had four or five really strong ball carries through the middle,” the Blue Boars coach said.

“While she has the speed, I think she is wasted out on the wing, so we’ll keep her in the forwards.”

Fellow debutant Esta Kalatzis also had a positive impact on the team and impressed her new coach.

“She has played previously up there in Brisbane but has had a few years off,” Coffey said.

“She is an absolutely devastating forward who can play in the front row and the second row.

“She actually scored a 50-metre try. She busted through and kept pushing and scored under the sticks.

“She’ll be a huge, huge asset to our forward pack.”

Coffey also praised the efforts of Cruickshank, who led the side around the park impressively in what was her first time playing halfback.

He commended newcomer Cassidy Morley, who he said had a standout game at fullback, and described the return of Chelsea Hancock as a major boost for the side.

Morley has spent the past few years playing rugby league and league tag, and Hancock was a part of the Blue Boars’ inaugural Blue Boars women’s team back in 2018 that was coached by her father, Dean, and most recently played for Albies.

The Blue Boars president was pleased to have rugby union back at Dangar Park and said that he could not wait for the Central North Rugby Union campaign to get underway.

The season starts on Saturday, April 15, but the Narrabri 10s team has byes in rounds one and two.

It will play its first match of the year on Saturday, April 29, when Narrabri Rugby Club hosts Scone in all grades in round three.

The women’s 10s side will contest another trial match this Friday when it travels to Coffs Harbour to challenge the Snappers.