Sport
28 April, 2024
Gular goes to Mudgee
Gulargambone’s junior rugby union players will find a team to play and a game anywhere they can and that dedication will see 10 members represent Western Plains at under 12 level.
On Saturday, April 13, Gular’s juniors traveled to Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium at Mudgee to play Mudgee Wombats and Wellington. It comes after they played last month at Gular’s Rugby Friendship Day. With no formal competition in Western Plains, the Gular kids find matches where they can with the support of NSW Rugby Union and volunteers.
NSW Rugby Union development officer Mark Pitts has taken a special interest in the small town’s junior rugby since he helped form it in 2020. Fullback Kleon Reid has caught the eye of many in the Western Plains. A few good judges in Mudgee took notice.
What was most pleasing was the behavior of the entire group on the road. “Cleaned the sheds, picked up rubbish, and displayed great behavior all-round,” Pitts said. “They are a wonderful group.”
The group is so talented that 10 Gulargambone U12s players have now been selected for a 20-man Western Plains squad in that age group after recent trials. The list includes Gulargambone’s Kleon Reid, Kahlil Welsh, Hayne O'Hara, Ryder Larkin, Slater Peters, George Macrae, Akiro Baker, Reggie Leonard, Mahki Turnbull, and Bradley Turnbull.
Western Plains U12s will play a curtain-raiser to the NSW Waratahs – ACT Brumbies Super Rugby match next month before backing up the next day to play The Shore School.
The other good news for Gulargambone Junior Rugby Union is that the body is making small steps towards being self-sufficient. Pitts started it all off but soon found support from Angus Patrick, Adam Macrae, and Row Macrae. The end goal is to have a viable junior committee to run the growing group that has 70 registered rugby union players across under-eights, U10s, and U12s age groups.
The Western Plains U12s squad: Kleon Reid, Kahlil Welsh, Hayne O'Hara, Ryder Larkin, Slater Peters, George Macrae, Akiro Baker, Reggie Leonard, Mahki Turnbull, Bradley Turnbull (Gulargambone); Jeb Peirce, Jack Old (Bourke); Wes Willock, Max Scheib (Coonamble); Ollie Whitely, Patrick Brua (Macquarie Emus); Lachie Watt (Narromine); Jack Schiller, Jake Day, and Jack Timmins (Walgett).
