Story by Stewart Wilson

The Bungendore RUFC had a very good day on Saturday with both the
Mudchooks and Mudchicks winning and moving to be within touching
distant of making their grand finals – one more win by either team
will see them in the biggest games of their year.

The Mudchooks were hosted by the Hall Bushrangers in the qualifying
final and came away with a hard-fought 45-29 victory. It was the
Chooks’ fourth win on the trot, the team playing well with things
starting to come together nicely as we reach the business end of the
season.

The Chooks scored six tries including a treble to number 8 Vili Taleca
and indiviual scores to prop Joe Nagaunu, centre Uraia Rabici and
winger Luke Gorman. There has been a palpable sense of the team
‘gelling’ as they should in the last few games. They led 21-10 at
half time.

But the Bushrangers didn’t lie down and scored five tries of their
own and got within a handful of points midway through the second half.
Two tries in the last quarter of the game sealed it for the Chooks.

A big difference between the two sides was their goal kicking in very
windy and difficult conditions. Chooks halfback Tom Worman slotted
seven out of eight including converting all the tries plus a penalty
goal. He judged the wind perfectly from difficult angles “to let it
do the work” as someone noted after the game.

Everyone put in and worked together well. The scrum was dominant as it
has been all season and the backs created some slick moves. Uraia
Rabici’s try in the second half resulted from a beautiful backline
move which was a joy to watch.

The Chooks play the Yass Rams next weekend in the preliminary final,
the winner going into the grand final.

But an unusual and unlucky problem has emerged from the Chooks’ win
over Hall. It earned them the right to play Yass at home at the Mick
Sherd Oval but the date clashes with the Bungendore Tigers’ rugby
league grand final, so an alternative venue needed to be found.

At the time of writing this hadn’t yet been sorted  – we’ll update
you as soon as we know!

Go the Chookies and Chickies!