Another great day’s rugby at Dubbo’s Apex Oval on Saturday June 28 with the Narromine Gorillas having the better of the day against the home side Dubbo Rhinos.

Colts kicked into gear quickly with Kale Bock instigating a blindside move which picked up Trent Jacobson on the fly: 5-0. A ball allowed to bounce saw Rhinos equalise: 5-5. A magic backline move and Henry Buttsworth put the cream on the cake: a conversion from Mark Kilby led to the 12-5 half-time score. Kilby converted the two second-half tries: the first involving a committed finish by Aaron Abel; the second just desserts for Josh Wrench. The Rhinos didn’t trouble the scoreboard operators after oranges, with the final score being 26-5. Angus Webb blitzed them in the lineouts; Sam Cochrane’s try-saving tackle on a Rhino back was first-class; while Jordan Richardson contributed strongly across the field. The Colts are in third spot on the ladder.

If only there had been three halves, the Thirsty Thirds might have been in with a show. Down 0-26 at the break, the Gorillas conceded just the one try in the second stanza, for a 0-31 ledger. Stewart Kidd covered a lot of territory, as did Jason Poulson; Jono Sharkey’s defence was, as usual, off the top shelf; while the energy displayed by young Chris McGuire would suggest an illegal supplement.

The Premier Seconds held a 10-0 advantage at half-time, after some trench warfare, and a wonderful Craig Duff try (after the ball was transferred in text book fashion by guest backline members Ben Staines and Phil Miles); Duff also converted the try and added a penalty.

Greg Wynn, who had a terrific match, was over soon after the restart but an apparent lack of focus by the Gorillas and the Rhinos crossed twice: 15-12. Narromine then upped the ante for three unanswered tries: the first to the ever-present Tod Porter, after some great hands from Matt Ward and Charlie MacInnes; the second to Stuart Henderson; and the final try to Sharkey. With Doug Potter’s goal kicking, the final score was 37-12.

First grade was exciting due to the closeness of the scores throughout the match but was somewhat scrappy in the process.

That Narromine’s two tries (both pearlers) were scored by the flying wingers, CJ Smyth (after a flash tip-on pass from Luke Brown) and Scott Burgess, was a tribute to the hard work of the forwards and the handling in the back line.

Craig Shibble again turned in a top game as did Brad Anderson, Andrew Stanley and captain Jeremy Brown; while CJ’s goal kicking was magnificent.

From 10-8 at oranges (a clever front-of-the-lineout move by the Rhinos saw their first try), the Rhinos grabbed the lead 10-13 but faded for a 20-13 final score.

Firsts cemented their third spot on the competition ladder, kicking seven points clear of the Rhinos.

Tomorrow at Royal Cale Oval, Narromine play host to the Dubbo Kangaroos, who last week lost their first game for some years: let’s hope the Gorillas can assist the Roos to develop this trend.

GO THE GORILLAS!!!