The NSW Waratahs Rugby Union Team have been very proactive in the Central West over the last two months. After running a free coaching clinic in Orange they invited the Canowindra Junior Pythons to play last Saturday night in the curtain raiser before the Waratahs vs Brumbies match at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. This was a very big stadium for such a very small team! “It was exciting and better than cool to play in front of such a large crowd”, said Lachlan Rice, one of the lucky team members.
The Canowindra Junior Pythons were asked to put together a team consisting of Under 8’s and 9’s and we were up against the larger town of Wellington. Although the season has not yet started and registration is on the 31st of March, the players showed great skill and tenacity to overcome Wel- lington three tries to one. Local players included: Lachlan Rice (two tries), Oscar Cleary (one try), Campbell (Burger) Arnott, Hugh Nash, Tully Godfrey, Jonty Bullock and Alex Rice. Other members included Canowindra girl Rachel Balcomb’s sons, Archie and Thomas Balcomb, and other Orange players were Jack Garlick and Will Cornish. Special mention to Sasha Lewis, Lachie and Alex’s cousin from Sydney, who is also a keen rugby player.
After they played the kids were able to watch the Waratahs warm up and meet the team mascot. The Waratahs and Brumbies signed autographs for the players. Alex Rice, who did not have any merchandise to sign, decided to get his forehead signed by a Brumbies player and Reuben Cleary got both his arms signed by the Waratahs.
A big thank you goes to Jarrod Simpson, Central West Rugby Development Officer and Bec from the Waratahs in Sydney who helped organise the weekend. Don’t for- get, it is not too late to join the Canowindra Pythons as registration is next Friday the 31st of March at 4pm at the oval. We have teams for Under 7’s, 9’s. 11’s and 13’s. So come along for rego and a free sausagesizzle!
By Anne Maree Rice