After the Central West Junior Rugby Union board decided to end their season early due to recent state-wide lockdowns, major titles were awarded to minor and major premiers where relevant to end the 2021 season.

Due to the decision to end the season taken by both the juniors and seniors, the premierships for each of the grades were awarded to the winners of the major semi-final held at Forbes on August 7.

As a result, our very own Forbes Jun-ior Platypi Under 12’s squad has been crowned the 2021 champions after coming up trumps in their major semi-final, finishing as minor and now major premiers.

The Junior Platypi also had their Under 14’s squad in the finals mix this year, having won their minor semi-final against the Orange Emus.

Despite the fact that they weren’t able to play in the grand final match, the Under 12’s thoroughly deserved the title, having finished the year undefeated for a second successive season.

The Platypi also won the Club Championship after the Under 14s also had a successful campaign, winning their minor-semi.

Earlier this week, the CWRU made the difficult decision to abandon the remaining competitions for this season. The spread of COVID throughout our community is an enormous concern and we believe we have a responsibility to our communities to limit travel and potential infection, the statement said.

“The safety and welfare of our Players and Community are of the utmost importance,” the statement read.

“At this stage, some teams still involved in Finals have not played or trained in over 4 weeks. Furthermore, when Community Sport is allowed to recommence, we have concerns on the extremity of restrictions applied to return to play protocols, training limits, crowd limits etc. It has been determined that Premierships will be awarded,” said the statement.

Blowes Cup Competition Premiers are determined by final ladder positions. Congratulations to the following teams:
• Blowes Cup 1st Grade – Cowra Eagles;
• Blowes Cup 2nd Grade – Orange Emus;
• Blowes Cup 3rd Grade – Orange Emus;
• Blowes Cup Colts – Orange City;
• Westfund Ferguson Cup – Bathurst Bulldogs.

“We would like to thank all Clubs and their volunteers for what has been a challenging last two seasons. We look forward to a more enjoyable experience in Season 2022.”

For those who attended the Ronald McDonald House Orange fundraiser at Grinstead Oval in Forbes last Saturday, they would have been given a preview of semi-final football come early when the Forbes Platypi XV held on to beat the Dubbo Kangaroos 29-26 in front of a parochial local crowd in what was their last home game for the season.

Despite the difficult task of now having to win the Blowes Menswear Central West Rugby Championship on the road this sea-son – a feat not beyond the Platypi, it was also the ideal tune up for what lies ahead this weekend when fourth placed Forbes – who finished with a record of seven wins, seven losses and a draw and a neat 0 points differential, take on the Bathurst Bulldogs in Bathurst in a winner-takes-all minor semi-final.

Cowra will host Orange Emus in the major semi after beating them last week 23-12 at home. The winner will progress to a home grand final while the loser will play the winner of Bathurst v Forbes.

Seconds meanwhile will have an off season to ponder where it all went wrong after their year wound up with a fifth placed finish. Despite glimpses of brilliance, the COVID pandemic, a lack of continuity and squad changes made season 2021 a trying one indeed but one the club can still build on.

In brighter news Forbes Junior Rugby Club were confirmed as Central West Junior Rugby Champions for 2021 and hosted the semi-finals over the weekend for Under 12s through to Under 16s. It has been a massive effort from the club.

With the end of season here mark it down in your calendars, the Forbes Rugby Union Club will also hold it’s presentation night on September 3 with more information available closer to the date.

It was a tough Saturday at home for the Forbes Platypi Rugby Union club with losses in three men’s grades and only a 12-12 draw with the Orange Emu’s Women’s side the only result to crow about.

Forbes Colts continued their disjointed season marred by a pandemic and a lack of continuity with a disappointing 50-0 loss to the junior Emus. The Colts were never in the hunt and the result continues a slew of blow outs for the young side.

Seconds were marginally better but were fleeced to the tune of 36-7 by a dynamic Emu’s side that bullied the Platypi from the opening whistle and put pay to any chance they may have of finals football. Firsts couldn’t repeat their previous heroics going down 38-19 and slipping down to fourth on the Central West Blowes Menswear ladder behind Bathurst. They now sit on six wins, six losses and +6 points difference.

In the Women’s it was a tit-for-tat end-to-end battle with neither side being able to gain any real ascendency and the points shared in a thrilling 12-all draw and what must surely be a precursor to the finals later in the season.

Forbes won’t play again until they face Orange City in Forbes on July 24 in a must-win for all grades if they are to play semi-final football. A loss for Firsts and Dubbo may be clipping at their heals for fourth spot. A win, and a home semi-final beckons against Bathurst, potentially.

Orange Emus remain in first place on 47 points after the weekend’s win over Forbes while Cowra (43) and Bathurst (36) are second and third respectively as we approach the nitty gritty end of the season in the Central West Blowes Menswear competition.

It may not have been pretty, but Forbes Platypi kept in touch with the front runners in the Blowes Menswear Central West Rugby Union Competition at Dubbo on the weekend 12-6.

With everything to play for, both teams left it all out on the field in a tight war of attrition that could’ve gone either way.

The Platypi stuck solid and held on by the tightest of margins to remain in the top four and in the hunt for the minor premiership.

In other grades, 2nds were beaten 31-18 to continue a season of near misses while the Women’s were thumped 29-0 in a pasting. The Colts continue to struggle with a 41-5 rout confining the Colts to rear of the ladder and only pride left to play for in 2021.

Check out the Forbes Rugby Union Facebook page for all the latest COVID info.