Just as a terrific game of rugby was taking place in the Campbelltown Showground last Saturday afternoon, in the clubhouse at the top of the grandstand an off field initiative was taking shape.
But first, the game.
The ACT Brumbies, who were the away team on the Harlequins scoreboard just inside the fence along the Campbelltown Bypass, were taking on the NSW Waratahs in a trial match.
Did we mention that the teams were entirely made up of super fit women who possessed rugby skills as silky as any man who has played the grand old game?
The match was the last hit out for both sides before they get stuck into a new season of the women’s super rugby competition.
It was noticeable that both teams had their focus on defence, something that hasn’t always been popular in rugby, as compared to rugby league, for argument’s sake.
Indeed, there wasn’t much in it for the entire match before the “home team, the Waratahs girls walked off victorious by the smallest of margins, three points.
They probably deserved their 22-19 win, but victory to the ACT girls would have been just as fair.
Now back up in the club house, Harlequins president Col Packer and other members of the club committee were discussing a NSW Rugby initiative with none other than Tony Crawford, chairman of the board and other administration staff from head office in Sydney.
Also in the mix was another special guest for the day, Dr Mike Freelander, the federal member for Macarthur, who was briefed on the initiative before he pledged he would do what he could to help.
The Harlequins have agreed to participate in the program, which will involve the engagement of young disadvantaged people from the area, with rugby people leading the way.
We were told that because the initiative is in its infancy NSW Rugby could not divulge any more details at this stage.
Either way, from what we were told, it looks like rugby is slowly starting to get its act together again – by focusing on Western and South Western Sydney.
