Western beaten on the bell to end Australian Rugby Union Junior Gold Cup campaign

After going further than any other side from the region has in the Australian Rugby Union Junior Gold Cup program, the Western NSW under-15 outfit went down 20-17 in their semi-final clash with the ACT at Endeavour Oval on Sunday.

Leading 17-15 as the clock entered injury time, Western NSW couldn’t hold on as the visitors spread the ball wide and scored in the final play of the final four showdown.

NSW Rugby Union Western Region development manager Mark DeBrincat said the team - which included Orange City juniors Andrew Romano, Beau Westcott and Nick Wald - played some brilliant rugby on its way to the best finish a Western NSW side has achieved at the tournament.

Agonisingly, the team was just a penalty kick away from the final and a match-up with Western Australia in Perth.

“They went down swinging,” DeBrincat said.

“They clawed their way back into it after being 15-0 down and just couldn’t hang on. 

“It’s incredibly pleasing though. They’ve played a brilliant brand of rugby, knocked back a few chances to go for penalty goals and then went on to score tries.

“I’ve been involved in this job for five years now and these kids would have been eight or nine ... to see them come along as well as they have, it’s great for the game. 

“I can’t wait to see how they’ll go during their club and school rugby seasons this winter.”

Western NSW finished on top of pool A in the competition, knocking off southern conference rivals Central Coast (29-20), Victoria (24-17), Sydney West (24-17) and Illawarra (34-19) before falling just shy of a final spot on Sunday.

DeBrincat was thrilled with the work of Stannies product Nick Rankine as well as Westcott, who was a stand-out at the back of Western NSW’s scrum.

“But this team’s best quality was its cohesion,” he added.

“It didn’t matter what situation the boys were in, the gelled together and found a way out and the rugby they played was fantastic.”

A large portion of the Western NSW under-15 side has now been drafted into a train-on squad for the state team, with selection trials beginning next weekend.

The under-17 final will be played at Ballymore between Metro West and Brisbane.