Now in its third year, the Central West rugby challenge kicked off for 2018 with a big win to the central west team when the Clermont Bushpigs came a’hunting at the Barcaldine showgrounds on Saturday night.
In a tussle of the tusks, the Central West Boars, made up largely of Barcaldine players plus six from Longreach and surrounding properties, overcame their Highlands rivals 55-5.
Coach and central west president, Paul Doneley, said the scoreline didn’t represent how tough the game had been.
“It’s the first of the season and it’s often a tough ask to turn up so our thanks go to the Bushpigs,” he said.
Some 23 players came over from Clermont for the warm evening contest and captain, Tom Robertson, said they were happy to do their bit to keep rugby alive in western Queensland.
Other games scheduled for coming weeks, all to be played at Barcaldine, are Capella on February 24, Moranbah (March 3), Blackwater (March 10), and Rolleston (March 24).
Boars players’ player was Pierce Hayden while Duncan Rodger was the equivalent for the Bushpigs.
Paul said the challenge would lead in to the representative rugby season for keen players.
He would love to see the central west club competition restart in the meantime but said there was still a lack of playing numbers and people to run it.