A Nick Wald try on the stroke of full-time secured Orange City’s thrilling come-from-behind victory over cross-city rivals Emus in a stunning Central West Junior Rugby Union under 17s derby on Saturday night.
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With his side trailing 12-10 with no time left on the clock, Wald found some space out wide, beat two would-be Emus defenders and carried another over the line with him to score.
The last-ditch effort sealed a 15-12 victory for the Lions in the most exciting all-Orange clash the colour city’s seen since the 2014 Blowes Clothing Cup preliminary final, setting off raucous celebrations in the City camp too.
Under the bright lights of Endeavour Oval the clash – which was the main event of Emus’ inaugural Indigenous round – was in the balance for the entire 60 minutes, both sides throwing everything at each other.
Incredibly, every point was scored in the second half too after the sides went into the half-time break deadlocked at 0-0.
Orange City and Emus both had chances in the opening half and even found their way over the line a couple of teams each but were held up on every occasion, which highlights both sides’ phenomenal defensive efforts.
Emus gun Brad Baker finally broke the deadlock early in the second half, his try went uncoverted to leave the greens’ lead at 5-0.
It lasted about a minute before Hayden Goodall dived over for the Lions. It also went unconverted, locking the game up again.
Emus regained the lead a couple of minutes later when man mountain Will Cusack barged his way over from close range, Baker nailed the goal to give the greens a seven-point lead.
Once again the Lions fired back though, Malakai Talanoa burrowing his way over from a pick-and-drive. Emus still led 12-10 though, as the conversion attempt was waved away.
The Lions shifted up a gear again and peppered Emus’ line, eventually cracking it.
With last play called the Lions spun it wide, Wald finding himself with enough space to weave his way through and reach out to score the match-winner.
“Emus are easily the best team we’ve played all year, I expect to see them come finals time,” Orange City Pat McDonald said of the sixth-placed greens.
“We knew they’d be hard, they should hold their heads up high. Certainly it was the best game of rugby I’ve seen in Orange this year.
“We’ve just been working at it all year, trying to improve and we didn’t give up [on Saturday night]. We didn’t panic and we got there in the end.”
“It’s gutting to lose that way,” Emus co-coach Tom Goolagong said.
“The boys played so well and we just got pipped at the post. They were amazing in defence and I’m very proud of the effort.
“It’s great to see these under 17s kids playing with so much passion in this kind of game too, that’s certainly not restricted to the senior derbies.”
- ORANGE CITY LIONS 15 (Nick Wald, Malakai Talanoa, Hayden Goodall tries) def ORANGE EMUS 12 (Brad Baker, Will Cusack tries; Baker conv)