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Ex-Singleton Junior Bulls and U16 Hunter Junior Rugby Union (HJRU) Wildfires Timmy Ryan, Mitch Cox, Mick Taylor, Riley Woods and Logan Millard are country champions.
Easily accounting for the mid-north coast (22-0) in the final of the U16’s NSW Junior Rugby Union Country Championships at Bathurst on Sunday.
This is the fourth consecutive year Ryan, Cox and Taylor have triumphed at this level.
Ryan also picked up the best forward accolade and along with Taylor, Millard and Woods has been named in the 40 player NSW Country squad.
Extraordinarily the side did not have one point scored against them during the competition says manager, Teressa Wilson.
The played two pool games, a semi-final and then of course, the decider.
The U15’s Wildfires were also crowned country champs and this team featured another former Bull, Jack Ryan.
Earlier:
Ex-Singleton Junior Bulls and Under 16 Hunter Junior Rugby Union (HJRU) Wildfires Timmy Ryan, Mitch Cox, Mick Taylor, Riley Woods and Logan Millard are bound for Bathurst this weekend where they will contest the annual Country Championships.
This is a familiar scenario for Ryan, Cox, and Taylor who have progressed through the representative ranks together.
They have been core players in a rep side that has claimed three consecutive country championships – U13’s, U14’s, and U15’s.
While last season the trio along with Branxton’s Logan Millard made the Under 15 NSW Country Cockatoos squad.
Experienced coach Alan Barker says the boys have been training hard since February and are playing a more “mature brand of rugby”.
“They are bigger and stronger – quite of few of these boys are over 100kg,” he says
“All these players were selected because they are adaptable, they have the ability to play more than one position and this is important when you are playing at carnival because if someone gets injured you can’t bring in a replacement. Our squad of 23 players can all do the job; it’s not 15 players and a bench.”
Despite their impressive track record, Barker says it doesn’t pay to be overconfident.
“There will be no easy games,” he says.
“Our first match is against the far north coast and then we take on Illawarra.”
Barker says the boys are focused on getting the job done this weekend which means playing well as a team.
Meanwhile another ex-bull, Jack Ryan, will line up in the Under 15 Wildfires side who are also playing at Bathurst this weekend.