A blockbuster round of junior Rugby Union Championship and Grand Final games will take place this weekend, showcasing the prowess and growth of ACT Rugby here in Canberra in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions.
This weekend will feature 29 games contested by 19 of the 20 Clubs and Schools – the most games ever played and the largest number of Clubs and Schools competing in the history of ACTJRU Grand Final series.
ACT Junior Rugby Union President Martin Sullivan says it’s an exciting weekend for junior rugby across the region. “All games across the weekend will give the children an opportunity to play, as a Brumbies community, at Viking Park and showcase the growth of our rugby competition in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions,” Sullivan said.
Of the 29 Finals games taking place at Viking Park, Erindale, there will be four Girls Grand Finals across the weekend including two divisions in the Under 14’s and the Under 16’s and Under 18’s Grand Finals. The Wests Lioness’s in the Under 16’s are up against Royals on Saturday at 2:30pm.
On Sunday, the Under 14’s girls from Vikings and Cooma Red Falcons play each other in the Division 1 Final at 10:50am, and girls from Wests Lioness’s and Batemans Bay play each other in the Division 2 Final at 11:30am. The Under 18’s Girls Championship Final this year will be contesting for the ‘Louise Burrows Cup’ by Royals and Wests Lioness’s on Sunday at 1:05pm.Canberra’s own Wallaroo, Louise “Cookie” Burrows will present the Cup to the winners this year.
All the action kicks off on Saturday with the Under 9 Division 1 Grand Final at 8:30am which sees Vikings take on Queanbeyan, with the first day of Finals culminating with the Championship match between Under 16’s Division 1 Marist College and Vikings.
On Sunday, the Championship and Grand Finals start at 8:40am and finish with the Under 18 Division 1 Championship Final between St Edmunds and Marist College kicking off at 3:30pm. Since the inauguration of the schools in the ACTJRU competition in 2003, this year will be the ninth time Marist and St Edmund compete for the Under 18’s Championship honours. Marist took out the last two Championship finals.
