Exciting period of growth, success for Junior Blue Boars

JUNIOR rugby union is undergoing an exciting period of growth and success.

The Junior Blue Boars have been experiencing a great year of development and competition across several grades.

Hard work by club officials in recent years is paying off, with about 100 kids playing in the youth competition across under-14s and under-18s girls and under-14s and under-16s boys.

Dillon Neesom. Photos: Tom Pattison.

A core group of volunteers is behind the success, particularly Denis Harvey, Bob Ford, Chris and Anna Booby, Daniel and Louise Tout, Ash Carolan, Daniel Gillmore and Ben Redfern.

The group, however, is quick to attribute the youth competition’s success to the participation and attitude across the playing group.

Harvey, who coaches the under-18s girls, has been involved in junior rugby for many years and has praised the tenacity of the young players.

Caitlin Lane. Right: Frankie Carolan in action at Dangar Park earlier this month.

“It’s such a good, positive atmosphere,” Harvey said.

“The numbers are just incredible.”

Harvey said the youth competition was playing an important role in bridging the gap that once existed between under-12s and the open competition.

The under-18s girls have had a cracking season, finishing in the top two before finals soon kick off.

Narlah-Pearl Toomey.

Harvey praised their incredible skill growth from the start of the year to now.

“They’re a great group of footballers,” he said.

Harvey also highlighted the players’ commitment to rugby, understanding how the sport works as well as maintaining the spirit of rugby, particularly when it comes to respect.

Skye Chapman. Inset: Jarred Lawler.

Under-16s boys’ coach Chris Booby is equally as glowing about the entire playing group’s outstanding efforts.

“It’s been a really good year of junior rugby,” Booby said.

The under-16s are experiencing a stand-out season, also having a strong finish to the preliminary season leading into the junior finals series.

The boys made the finals last year, with the momentum continuing this season.

Maicee Astill.

Booby said it is satisfying to see the results reflect the hard work being put in by the boys’ team.

“They are just as keen now as they were at the start of the year,” he said.

“They are a really capable side … a willing bunch of kids.

Lucas Summers-Lawler.

“The results are showing what they can do.”

The local competition aside, the Junior Blue Boars have also experienced success in other aspects of rugby union.

Thirteen players were selected as part of the Central North squad for the NSW Junior Rugby Union State Championships.

Jarred Lawler.

Local selections included: Blair Lennox (U14 boys); Lucy Booby and Ashlyn Saunders (U14 girls); Max Booby, Lincoln Bourke and Romeo Backhouse-Smith (U15 boys); Lincoln Saunders, Dylan Neesom, Lochlan Coffey and Coby Richards (U16 boys); Ruby Clayton (U16 girls); and Charlie Tout and Aleira Sunderland (U18 girls).

Romeo Backhouse-Smith.

Lachlan Coffey, Coby Richards and Ruby Clayton also gained selection for country squads.

Lucy Booby and Ashlyn Saunders were part of the NSW under-14s girls’ development team which toured Adelaide.

Lucy Booby will also play with the NSW Junior Rugby Union under-14s girls’ Barbarians at the National Invitational Tournament in September.

Jace Campbell.

The young rugby talent has also been on show at Dangar Park, with Narrabri Junior Rugby Club recently hosting visiting teams as part of the youth competition.

The final games of the preliminary season were played last Friday.

A bye is scheduled for this week before finals competition starts next week.