The Orange Barbarians will be looking to bounce back this weekend when the club hosts its first home game of the 2017 New Era Cup at Wade Park on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The club hosts Mid-West powerhouse Wallerawang in both first grade and league tag and Barbarians president Paul Rudd said it’s time the club made travelling to Orange a task dreaded by the entire competition.
That sentiment comes on the back of opening round losses to CSU Yellow at Bathurst last weekend.
“Hopefully can turn things round this week and target making Wade Park a place teams hate coming to,” he said, the club hosting mini games at the grand from 9am. The main game kicks off at 2.30pm.
Rudd said the club has worked on dominating the ruck ahead of its first game of the season – an area the red, white and blues battled with against the lightning quick students in a 40-18 loss.
“I think slowing the pace of the play the ball down in defence and showing a little more patience in attack will be key for us,” he added.
“We have a lot of strike in the squad but tend to push the pass a bit.
“It was a close match at 22-18 against CSU, until the last 20 minutes and their fitness and ruck speed got us through the middle. Dissapointing start but plenty to work with.”
Rudd said captain-coach Ben Gosper was again his side’s best, leading the way from the front alongside former representative prop Ash Conn.
Josiah Pugh also impressed off the bench for the Barbarians.
While, in a 16-0 loss against the defending premiers CSU Yellow, Barbies league tag guns Katelyn Stapleton and Billi-Jo Cook shone.