Saturday’s game in Bourke. ▪ Photo
courtesy Ian Cole, The Western Herald
The Cobar Rugby Union Camels travelled to Bourke on Saturday to take on semi-final contenders, Bourke/Brewarrina (“Bourke”) Barbarians.
The Camels travelled with 24 players but were aware of the blistering pace of the opposition, and that pace was the difference between the two teams.
The final score 50-21 in Bourke’s favour does not detract one little bit from a positive analysis of the Camels’ performance.
This team has embraced three core values within the Rugby Code of fun, friendship and fearlessness with the camaraderie, unity and ability to face physical confrontation and pressure with confidence clearly developing with each game, and trusting in their teammates to back you up in defence or attack.
It was a game of many highlights.
Bourke had all the early ball and as expected, utilised their speed right across the back line to launch their attacking raids.
Michael ‘Mikey’ Uiva at fullback stood firm however and brought a couple of Barbarian “bullets” to a brutal stop.
Centre Chris Crotty and flanker Mitch Dunne chimed in with a couple of crunchers of their own as did Joash Toringi.
The Barbarians got away to a 19-0 buffer, but it was “painfully” clear their flyers had a newfound respect for the Camels defence.
The Camels had started to bend the Barbarians’ line with some spirited charges.
Toringi was particularly punishing and from a kickoff, Bourke fumbled, allowing hooker Marsh Rewha to regain possession for Cobar.
Rehwa popped the ball to Jayden Paul who made ground to find Toringi in support who crashed over for a Cobar try. Kody Martin converted.
In the first half, the tight five tirelessly went about their work, repelling any Barbarian attacks through the ruck, slowly but surely exerting dominance in the scrum and winning most of their lineouts.
Second rower Napoleon Sipendi went down after being hit hard where it hurts most, Toringi took a head knock and was rested and Mikey who has been carrying injury, came off.
At half time, the Barbarians led the Camels 29-7.
In the second half, the Camels’ resolve was soon evident.
Backup fullback Fidelis Ah Sam (‘Delis’) and winger Kody Ford combined in a 50-metre dash towards the tryline only to be thwarted by desperate cover defence.
Although the definite target of a flying Fijian number 13 twice his size, winger Graham Manui stood his ground to reinforce the adage “the bigger they are…”.
Delis saved a certain try with a Mikey “special” of his own and Napoleon returned to the fray winning a lineout against the throw, albeit a poor one.
Then maybe the highlight of the season as Napoleon stood centre field in defence.
A long but ill-directed Bourke pass floated by Napoleon which he intercepted and sprinted, second row style, toward the Bourke tryline.
With no support in sight, Napoleon was on his own with 50 meters left to travel and the Barbarian speedsters in hot pursuit.
But he won the race to the line to score, much to the delight and roar of the Cobar crowd as well as some of the Bourke supporters.
With the try converted by Kody Martin, the Camels had now eclipsed their previous highest score for 2026.
But Cobar was not yet finished.
Another long pass from the same Bourke player was plucked out of play by Delis who had 80 meters in front of him to the tryline and still a worrying number of defenders to beat.
He was shortening stride, running out of tryline and confronted with a corner post but score he did.
And to put the icing on the cake, five-eight Benny Griffiths converted from the sideline.
Fulltime, Bourke 50 Cobar 21.
With so many committed and improved Camel performances on the day, it was difficult to fairly give best player points.
However, Players’ Player was unanimous: Napoleon Sipendi who literally felt the highs and the lows of playing footy all in one game!
Benny Griffiths, in only two games at five-eight, has been a revelation and received three points.
On Saturday, Griffiths was initially focused on clearing the ball in defence by kicking long.
As the game progressed and his confidence grew that long kicking became more tactical to put the Camels in an attacking position and he varied the play by running the ball more.
Delis is a class act and often is overlooked for points because of the high standards expected of him.
He earned his two points on the weekend if only for his smashing try-saving tackle and runaway try however he contributed far more than that.
But the unsung, unnoticed and bravest of all in the game were Cobar’s front row, tight-head prop Matt Bolam, hooker Rehwa and loose-head prop Jordan Sipendi.
All three played a full 80 minutes, defended the ruck with ferocity, were the dominant scrum at fulltime and provided the platform for a strong competitive effort from the Camels.
They deserved their one point each.
Well done you Camels!!—contributed
