Ken Chillingworth Oval to host the 2023 Central North Rugby Union grand finals

This season’s Central North Rugby Union grand finals will played at Ken Chillingworth Oval in Tamworth after a red-hot Pirates side demolished the Gunnedah Red Devils at the same venue in the qualifying semi-final on Saturday.

The two top-ranked first grade sides went head-to-head in Tamworth as the minor premiers reigned supreme with a 43-7 victory.

There was only one try in it at the break as the Pirates led 14-7, but the second half was all Tamworth as the hosts piled on five tries two of which they converted, and kept Gunnedah scoreless at the other end to run away with a 36-point win.

Gunnedah will have a second crack at qualifying for the decider when they host Moree in the preliminary final this Saturday.

Moree advanced a week earlier when they defeated the Narrabri Blue Boars’ first XV 34-12 on home soil in the elimination final.

The Blue Boars will also be in action in Gunnedah this Saturday when they challenge Pirates in the women’s tens competition preliminary final.

The minor premiers met Gunnedah in the qualifying final in Tamworth on Saturday where they lost 15-10 in a tight tussle.

The two sides went into the fourth and final quarter locked at 10-all after going try for try as Gunnedah scored in the eighth minute and the 21st, and Narrabri’s Cassidy Morley went over in the 15th minute and the 24th.

The Red Devils delivered a final blow in the 36th minute when Emmy Barr crossed for the match-winning try to make the final score 15-10.

The victory saw Gunnedah progress through to the September 16 decider, while Narrabri must now go through the preliminary final. They will meet the Pirates after the Tamworth side downed Scone 31-12 a week earlier in the elimination final.

The reserve grade qualifying final on Saturday was an even closer contest than the women’s game as the Pirates prevailed 11-10 against Moree to go through to the big dance.

Moree led 10-5 at the break but the Pirates scored two penalty goals in the second stanza to claim the win Moree will now challenge Barraba in the preliminary final in Gunnedah after the Rams beat the Narrabri Blue Boars 20-10 a week earlier in the elimination final.