THE West Wyalong Redbacks Women’s Rugby Union side unleashed a dominant display on Saturday, thumping the Boorowa Goldilocks 85-5 in a one-sided affair in the South West Fuels Women’s 10s competition.
Entering the clash as ladder leaders, the Redbacks showed exactly why they’ve been the benchmark all season, piling on 13 tries and 10 conversions to overwhelm the struggling Goldilocks, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
Star winger Ava Lemon was electric, slicing through the Boorowa defence to bag four tries, while Ebony Milgate wasn’t far behind, crossing the white line three times. Emma Hanrahan was flawless with the boot for most of the match, nailing eight conversions in the commanding win.
Despite the rout, it wasn’t enough for West Wyalong to retain top spot. With Temora also recording a win, the Redbacks dropped to second on the ladder, sitting equal on 27 points with the Grenfell Pink Panthers but trailing both on points differential.
The Redbacks now turn their attention to a crucial home showdown with Grenfell next round — a match that could go a long way in deciding the minor premiership with all three top teams neck-and-neck heading into the midpoint of the season.
Boorowa managed to salvage some pride with a solitary try in the second half, but the gulf in class was clear from the outset as the Redbacks surged out to a commanding lead within the opening 20 minutes and never looked back.
With momentum on their side and a critical clash looming, West Wyalong’s premiership credentials will be put to the test as the finals approach.
Weevils gallant but fall short against Boorowa
THE West Wyalong Weevils’ finals aspirations took another hit on Saturday, falling 31-22 to a fired-up Boorowa Goldilocks outfit in a hard-fought clash at Boorowa.
With the home side chasing top spot in the South West Rugby Union competition, the Goldilocks had plenty to play for and it showed, as they outmuscled and outpaced the Weevils to claim a crucial four-try victory.
Despite the loss, the Weevils showed moments of brilliance, with winger Elex Nasedra once again proving a handful, darting over for a sharp first-half try. Impact sub Lachie Buttenshaw added energy off the bench and crossed late, while Myles Harland kept the visitors in the contest with a determined finish midway through the second half.
But it was Boorowa’s day from the outset. George Chudleigh opened the scoring with a clever individual effort before Kyle Pye and Fergus Munns extended the lead with clinical finishing. Liam Birks sealed the result in the dying stages with the Goldilocks’ fourth try, keeping their minor premiership hopes alive with just a few rounds remaining.
The Weevils’ inability to capitalise on attacking pressure proved costly, and their defence struggled to contain Boorowa’s quick ball movement and support play.
The Weevils had chances to put them under real pressure but let themselves down with execution lapses even though the effort was there. Sadly, effort alone doesn’t win games at this level.
The loss leaves West Wyalong languishing 10 points adrift of Young, who currently hold the final finals spot, with time rapidly running out to bridge the gap.
Meanwhile, Boorowa continue their charge toward the top of the table, their victory keeping them within striking distance of the minor premiership with a strong finish to the season needed to ensure they get the gong.
The Weevils however will need to regroup quickly and find form fast if they’re to keep their finals hopes flickering in what’s shaping up as a do-or-die stretch in the next month.
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