Sport
31 March, 2024
Gulargambone Rugby Union Friendship Day
The first-ever ‘Friendships in Rugby Day’ at Gulargambone held recently is a key example of rugby union’s new push to make the 15-man-code more accessible to everyone.
The first-ever ‘Friendships in Rugby Day’ at Gulargambone held recently is a key example of rugby union’s new push to make the 15-man-code more accessible to everyone. Teams from across the Western Plains and Central West gathered at the home of the Galahs on Saturday, March 16 at a gala event that featured under eights, 10s, and 12s junior matches before finishing with a marquee fixture. It is estimated that more than 500 people attended Gulargambone Oval across the entire program.
Randwick’s second-grade colts side made the trek to Gulargambone to play a Gular Galahs Invitational side made up predominantly of Gulargambone and Coonamble players. The galloping greens scored a comfortable win in that fixture, but this was a day where the scoreboard didn’t really matter according to NSW Rugby Union development officer Mark Pitts.
Pitts is based at Tooraweenah but covers the Western Plains area in his role and has even traveled beyond that to Wilcannia. He added a highlight of the day was Gulargambone’s under 12s side having great numbers and scoring a good win against Central West outfit Wellington Redbacks. That match wrapped up a junior program that includes teams and players from the Macquarie Emus (Warren, Nyngan, and Trangie), Wellington, Walgett, Bourke, and Carinda all represented. Under eights and U10s matches were played on two smaller fields while the U12s played.
Around 180 players lining up with 115 new junior registrations made it a successful day. NSW Rugby Union has partnered with Fair Dinkum Choices to provide free health checks and rugby registrations for all Western Plains junior players. “We want rugby to be a game that everyone can come and try,” Pitts said. “We plan to have rugby available in all schools across Western Plains as our NSW (Rugby) team keeps building. When people play the game, they enjoy the open nature of it.”
Pitts said that an upcoming junior gala day at Gulargambone in May should help rugby union build on the success of this inaugural event. Within the Western Plains boundaries, clubs play gala days on Sundays or Friday nights which means people can play rugby union without it clashing with other Saturday junior sports. Gulargambone’s U12s side is set to play to the Mudgee Wombats soon at Glen Willow in Mudgee. Last year Gular’s juniors were able to go to Sydney, Yamba, and Forster to play and the gala-day and fun-day concept has success.
Pitts revealed that studies suggest 85 per cent of children play sport simply to learn new skills, spend time with their friends, and have fun while 15 per cent have ambitions to go as far as possible in their chosen game.
The ‘Gulargambone Giant’ Warwick Waugh was pivotal in Randwick attending. He coaches the second-grade colts side that made the trek. Waugh, 55, who hails from Gulargambone, played eight test matches for the Wallabies and helped build the profile of Gular thanks to rugby commentator Gordon Bray’s moniker for him.
Gulargambone Rugby Union Club committee acknowledged Pitts’ efforts to make the day happen along with NSW Junior Rugby Union, NSW Rugby, Castlereagh Connection, Gulargambone Lions Club, and CTG Aboriginal Health. “It was a true example of a community working together to celebrate bush rugby,” Gulargambone Rugby Union stated on its Facebook page.
