The Young Yabbies have found their spark at the right time, securing a hard-fought 30-22 win over long-time rivals the Cootamundra Tri Colours in the final round of the regular season at Cranfield Oval.
With a vocal home crowd packed under the shelter of the clubhouse to escape the cold and drizzle, the Yabbies brought the heat on the field. In a contest that held both bragging rights and finals implications, Young turned on one of their most complete performances of the season.
It was a sharp contrast to their previous clash with the Tri Colours, where Cootamundra’s sizeable forward pack dominated proceedings. That day, Young’s defence was compressed, exposing their edges and giving the Tri Colours easy attacking metres. But this time around, it was the Yabbies who dictated the terms.
“This was the brand of rugby we’ve been working toward all season,” said Yabbies coach Will Munday. “It hasn’t been an easy year. We’ve had injuries, inconsistency, and times where we struggled to gel as a group. But today, it all clicked. We looked like a team.”
Young’s lightning-quick defensive line speed and precision in attack kept the Tri Colours scrambling. From disciplined scrums to well-timed lineouts and clinical midfield execution, the Yabbies showed composure, intent, and belief, hallmarks of a team with serious finals aspirations. “It was great to see the lads backing themselves,” Munday added. “We didn’t shy away from the contest, even knowing how physical Coota are. We played smart, we played fast, and we trusted our systems.”
The match was evenly poised throughout. Cootamundra opened the scoring with a penalty kick, only for Young to reply shortly after with three points of their own. From there, the Yabbies found their groove.
Try scorers for Young included Kai Langfield, who crossed the line twice, Charlie Sullivan, and Andrew Rice. Liam Miller added valuable points with two conversions and two penalty goals, proving reliable with the boot when it mattered most.
The win not only gives Young confidence but also seals fourth place on the ladder and a finals berth. The standings ahead of the play-offs read: 1. Boorowa Goldies 2. Harden Red Devils 3. Cootamundra Tri Colours 4. Young Yabbies.
With the regular season now behind them, the Yabbies’ attention shifts to finals football, where they will once again face the Tri Colours in an elimination showdown on August 9. “Coota will come back harder, we know that,” Munday said. “But we also know what we’re capable of. If we stick to what we did today and keep building, we’ll give ourselves a shot.”
The finals series features a three-round structure. After the initial elimination games, the winner of Yabbies vs. Tri Colours will play the loser of Boorowa Goldies vs. Harden Red Devils in a preliminary final on August 16.
The Grand Final will be held on August 23. For now, though, there’s a sense of quiet confidence among the Yabbies camp, “All you want is for your players to believe in themselves and each other,” Munday said. “And that’s what I saw out there. Finals footy is different, it’s another level. But this group is ready.”
Cranfield Oval could yet play host to more memorable moments and if the Yabbies can continue their rise, they might just write another storied chapter in Young rugby history.
– Liam Stuart
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