Blue Boars through to the CNRU women’s 10s decider

Narrabri Rugby Club’s women’s 10s team will have a chance to make even more Central North Rugby Union history this year when they line up in the 2025 grand final at Moree next month.

The Blue Boars have constantly found new ways to raise the bar to new heights during this season and the last, and they managed to do so again on Saturday when they demolished the Tamworth Pirates 63-12 in the major semi-final in Gunnedah.

The 51-point winning margin was the largest in the history of the Central North women’s comp since it was introduced in 2018, and the Blue Boars also ensured they will become the first and only team to play in four straight women’s grand finals when they run out for the big dance on Saturday, September 6.

Should they win, they will be the first and only team to have won three straight premierships in the women’s division, and if Saturday’s match is any indication, it is going to take a monumental effort from either Pirates or Gunnedah to stop them.

The Blue Boars ran in nine tries during the 40-minute match and their goal-kicker Toni Rae showed her class off the tee as she converted all nine goals, proving that hard work and extras outside of regular training hours pay off when the big moments arrive.

She finished the day with 23 points after also chipping in with a try, while teammates Shona McFarland and April Smith both claimed hat-tricks, and Cass Morley and Kaitlyn Armitage crossed for a try each.

Narrabri prop, captain and co-coach Peta Cox told The Courier she thought the Blue Boars well and truly rose to the occasion.

“It feels pretty good to get ourselves into a fourth straight grand final, especially with the way we did it (on Saturday),” Cox said.

“Tamworth came out and scored the first try in the first minute, and we thought we were in for a long game, but we composed ourselves and came back.

“We started slow and we were a bit shocked at the beginning there. We found our groove after that, and we kept possession and supported each other well.

“After those two tries, we knew we just needed to play our game.

“We’ve realised this season that we are fitter than the other teams, so we knew that Pirates would tire pretty quickly, and if we played our game, we would get there. That’s how it turned out.

“We played smart footy. We would make our forwards hit-ups and the space would open up, and the backs were chatting and calling for the ball, which made things really easy.

“Our chat in both attack and defence helped get us there.”

The Pirates came out firing and stunned the defending champions with a try through Sophie McCulloch inside the first minute to make the score 7-0 when Lauren Daye added the extras.

Narrabri equalised when McFarland crossed in the sixth minute and Rae slotted the goal, but Tamworth went back in front as Kate Ferguson’s seventh-minute try made it 12-7.

The Blue Boars hit back even quicker this time as Morley scored their second try in the ninth minute, and the score was 14-12 in Narrabri’s favour at quarter-time after Rae nailed the kick.

It was then 28-12 at half-time after McFarland scored inside the first minute of the first quarter and Smith crossed inside the final minute, and the Narrabri side put the game to bed in the third quarter when Smith went over for tries in the 24th and 30th minutes to complete her hat-trick and make the score 42-12 with the assistance of two more Rae conversions.

Armitage crossed for the first try of the final quarter in the 35th minute before McFarland completed her hat-trick in the 38th and Rae sealed the win in the final minute with her try and her ninth goal to make the final score 63-12.

Pirates will now meet Gunnedah in Gunnedah in this Saturday’s preliminary final for a chance to meet Narrabri in the decider.

Grand final day will be held in Moree after the Bulls beat the Gunnedah Red Devils 28-24 on the minor premiers’ turf on Saturday. Both sides scored four tries and the Red Devils kicked two conversions to one, but two Moree penalty goals got them over the line in the end.

Moree also qualified for the reserve grade grand final after edging out Quirindi 40-39 in their major semi-final.