Balmy conditions met more than 450 junior rugby players from around western NSW as they descended on the home of rugby in Parkes, Northparkes Oval, for the 2013 Parkes Boars Sub-Junior Wallarugby Gala Day last Sunday.
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The facilities were in wonderful condition, the grass mowed short and the rain earlier in the week was a distant memory.
Approximately 600 spectators were in attendance to support their young future Wallabies.
Under 7s
The ranks of the mighty Boars were bolstered by some TryRugby friends like Totai Lavaka, son of Boars and Tonga veteran Haemani, who scored a try on debut.
Cousins Oliver Hunt and Sonny MacGregor also played their first game of rugby together.
Oliver was rewarded with a try.
Three tough games were played against Canowindra, Macquarie Emus and Cowra.
The boys enjoyed the wide open spaces of the regulation sized field with numerous tries scored.
The defence of the well drilled junior Boars was also a feature.
Player of the Week was Flynn Thompson with Most Improved awarded to Ashton Scally.
Under 9s
Compared to conditions at the Orange Gala Day, Parkes provided virtual tropical conditions last Sunday.
The Barbarians split into two squads due to strong player numbers.
The two teams played tough games against Narromine, Cowra, Emus, Canowindra, Orange City and two Orange Emus teams.
The Under 9s loved the well presented Northparkes Oval which provided a fast pitch for running rugby.
Regular players were bolstered by some TryRugby boys - Jack Skinner, Kade Lydford, Toby Collins and Malakai Folau.
Jack put his small frame on the line on numerous occasions and seemed to really enjoy the physicality of rugby.
Malakai had a lot to live up to with the other famous rugby playing Folaus - Israel and his dad Tonga. He proved worthy of the name by scoring three tries in one game.
Malakai is almost as tall as his dad and the extra height translated to speed on the paddock.
Kade Lydford zipped his way around the paddock and proved very elusive.
Nate Francis played consistently sound rugby and was a big contributor to each game he played in. He earned another try for his tally.
Tyler Yeo played one of the best games of his career against the Canowindra Pythons.
He led the way in the breakdown in a dominant display and scored a great try after supporting Henry Johns.
Henry added one more try later in the day for good measure.
Xavier Scally had a wonderful game and scored a classy try at the southern end of the ground.
Angus Quigley and Lachie Hobbs from Molong performed well as always.
Jasper Moore is proving to be the speedy back of his family, making a number of very fast breaks and amassing a four-try haul for the day.
Jack Rice also showed a clean pair of heels in attacking the fringes and running half the field on one occasion to cross the stripe virtually untouched.
Charlie Summerhayes continues to improve and constantly tests the opposition defence with his darting runs.
He was rewarded with four tries.
Tom Prescott is getting better each week with his outputs improving as the season goes on.
Jayden Pope is another of the new players who is really starting to get a feel for the game.
Mitchell Cox has become a powerhouse in the engine room of the under 9s with block-busting runs becoming his signature.
League convert Austin MacGregor has made defence his platform this season and Sunday’s games were no exception.
One parent remarked that he pulled off one of the best try saving tackles they had seen in Under 9s rugby.
Austin Owens also continues to perform well.
Henry Johns is consistently a strong contributor with big tackles and try scoring his forte.
He added another three tries to his mammoth tally for the season.
He scored his first try in Under 11s this week also.
There were many wonderful contributions from outstanding players in perhaps the best Gala Day of the season.
Player of the Week was awarded to Tyler Yeo while Toughest on Ground went to Lachie Hobbs.
Most Improved was awarded to Malakai Falou.
Under 11s
The Under 11 Parkes-Molong Barbarians had three tough games last Sunday.
However, they never gave up in any of them.
The home ground advantage was lost to well-drilled teams with older players.
The Barbarians were shell shocked by Forbes Platypi as they put on two quick tries in the first five minutes of their game.
It was not until the second half, after some motivational words from Barbarians coach Chris Reynolds, that the boys started to play some good rugby.
The Barbarians scored mid-way in the second half after sustained effort at the breakdown.
Nick Rasmausen scored the try by running out through the backs, then palming and pushing off his chasing defenders all the way down field to cross in the corner.
Final score 2-1 to Forbes.
The second game for the Barbarians was against Macquarie Emus.
The boys knew they had to lift from the kick off and they did.
At half-time, the score was tied at 1-all with the Barbarians try scored by Harrison McGregor after a brilliant charging run 12 metres out from the line, beating five defenders. Unfortunately, Emus scored mid-way through the second half.
The Barbarians came close to scoring the equalising try a number of times.
However, they just couldn’t find the try line with the final score 2-1 to Emus.
For the last game of the day, the Barbarians faced an older and well drilled team from Bathurst.
The Bathurst Burrs ran in three unanswered tries in the first five minutes and another two before half-time.
At half-time, the Barbarians players were down both in enthusiasm and on themselves.
They knew they had to lift and they responded.
The second half was a great contest from both teams.
The Burrs returned to the field to face a different team.
The Parkes-Molong players went back to their basic game plan and scored a well deserved try through supporting each other, excellent ball control, and cleaning out at the ruck and maul.
It was Under 9s player Henry Johns who scored by picking up a loose ball at the back of the ruck and darting five meters through tired defence.
The score finished 7-1 to Bathurst.
Player of the Week went to Jack Thomas while Toughest on Field was Cody Reynolds. Special mention to Eden Lydford, Kyle Abbott, Jason Wright and Jackson Guy for their unrelenting defence and decisive attacking runs.
Thanks to the five Under 9 players who stepped up.