IT doesn’t get much bigger than this.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Two Orange local derbies, in the Blowes Clothing Cup and Group 10 premier league respectively, on the same day.
Few superlatives can do justice to all four of last year’s rugby union derbies, played out over the regular season and the finals series, and Saturday’s clash continues the trend of mouth-watering cross-town match-ups.
Orange City hosts Orange Emus at Pride Park on Saturday in mammoth first-versus-second showdown, the first time the two teams have met since last year’s preliminary final, which the latter won thanks to a Nigel Staniforth penalty goal after full-time.
“It doesn’t get much bigger,” Orange City skipper Cameron Cole said.
“It’s one of those games that’s always in the back of your mind, even from the start of the year, and you’re always pretty keen for it.
“We’re really looking forward to it. I was hoping the weather would hold up a bit better, but I’ve come to learn that never happens in local derby week. Apparently it’s always bad weather.”
Bad weather is an understatement.
Along with death, taxes, Sesame Street on the tube and Central Western Daily sports journalist Nick McGrath referencing 1997 classic Dante’s Peak 10 times a year, there’s one certainty of life in Orange: enough rain during local derby week to break even the most severe of droughts.
It won’t just be the Lions and Emus battling through an inevitable mud-heap this weekend though, with Orange CYMS hosting Orange Hawks on Saturday as well.
At Wade Park, the somewhat resurgent Orange Hawks will be gunning to be the first side to overcome the high-flying Orange CYMS.
The green and golds, undefeated and looking like morals for the 2015 Group 10 premier league title, are supremely confident while the two blues won their second straight game last Sunday to move into equal fifth, and gain some momentum.
Thankfully, punters won’t be forced to choose which game they want to watch.
After changing the rugby league derby from Sunday afternoon - the norm for Group 10 games - to Saturday, CYMS had the presence of mind to ensure as little overlap as possible by starting the premier league game later than the rugby union.
In fact, with rugby league scheduled for an approximate start time of 4.40pm - a full 85 minutes after the rugby’s scheduled start time - there should be minimal overlap, if any.
“We always have a Saturday game, the players love it and it really helps out our sponsors,” CYMS life member and club stalwart Matt King said.
“We made sure our game kicks off quite a bit later than the rugby union, so people can get out and watch both games if they want to.”