Condobolin Rugby Union
MATCH REPORT- Round 8: Condo VS Boorowa
Twenty Rams made the trip to Boorowa yesterday for Round 8 and our second crack at the reigning premiers. The Goldies put on a fantastic day of rugby and once again showed why they’re the benchmark of the competition. They’re a disciplined, experienced outfit with a forward pack full of absolute fridge freezers.
The opening 20 minutes from the Rams was nothing short of outstanding. Our young side came out firing, running set piece moves so fancy a couple of old boys reckoned they should’ve come with subtitles.
The Goldies opened the scoring early but missed the conversion. The Rams answered back almost immediately when George Simiana crossed the chalk after a brilliant pick and drive. TBone added the extras before Josh Payne crashed over shortly after with a beauty of a try. Once again TBone split the sticks and, after 20 minutes, the Rams found themselves leading 14-5.
At that stage, a few of us were quietly wondering if an upset might be on the cards….
Unfortunately, premiers don’t become premiers by accident.
The Goldies hit back with three converted tries before the break to take a 26-14 lead into halftime.
The second half saw the home side gradually gain the upper hand. Our defence, which had been putting some very large Goldies on their backsides all afternoon, started to feel the effects of a tough contest. Boorowa managed to sneak over for a few more tries and eventually ran away with the result. The score at the final whistle was 52-14.
The scoreboard doesn’t reflect just how well the boys played. Considering the injuries we’re carrying and the fact we were up against the best side in the competition, every Ram should be stoked with that effort. It was one of the fastest, cleanest and classiest games of country rugby we’ve seen in a long time.
Tom Clemson had a blinder at halfback, controlling the game and keeping the boys on track, while Sam Nixon worked his usual magic at fullback. It’s just a shame all that talent disappears when someone hands him a beer.
A special shoutout goes to Josh Thompson, our best on ground. Massive hits, strong carries, slick little passes and not a single backward step all afternoon. For the full 80 minutes he simply refused to let anyone through. Outstanding effort.
It was also fantastic to have our skipper make the trip. While he’s still on the sidelines, having him there guiding the boys, keeping everyone accountable and supporting the team was invaluable. We can’t wait to have him back on the paddock where he belongs.
A huge thank you to coach Greg Wynn, all the supporters who made the trip, the match officials and Boorowa for their outstanding hospitality. You won’t find a better rugby club to visit, and we wish them all the best for the rest of the season.
As always, the result didn’t stop the celebrations. TBone got hold of the piano at the Boorowa pub and turned a few heads. It’s believed he signed at least three autographs before the night was over. The drive home was a reminder that country rugby is the only sport where a loss can still end with everyone having an absolute ball. How good is Bush Footy.
Points: Players’ Player: Tom Clemson; 1 Point – Fred Stuckey; 2 Points – Sam Nixon; 3 Points – Josh Thompson.
Deep Heat Diaries.
Source: Condobolin Rugby Union Facebook Page.

Image Credit: Clemosphotography.