Rugby results 17th April 2026

Rugby Recap – 17.04.26

Saturday marked the first game of the 2026 season in the New England competition for the Barraba Rams, as they took on the Tamworth Magpies. With free entry at the gate and a Hawaiian-themed night ahead, there was plenty of excitement around the grounds.

The Women’s side kicked off the day with an exceptional 70–17 win. They showed great skill throughout, with Ally Smith and Lily Bradshaw controlling play well in their 9/10 combination, shifting the ball effectively to create space for the backs to run in multiple tries.

The Rams held the Magpies scoreless until the 22nd minute, when the visitors built some momentum and crossed for three quick tries. However, Barraba regained control and kept them scoreless in the final quarter. Jemma Johnson stood out with strong hit-ups and multiple turnovers, allowing the Rams to transition quickly from defence to attack. It was a fantastic first outing for the women, building confidence for the season ahead.

Tries: Lilly Walker (2), Leilani Tevaga (2), Kiah Newell (2), Amie Middlemiss (2), Addison Dixon, Lily Bradshaw, Ally Smith, Charlie Norton
Conversions: Lily Bradshaw (2), Charlie Norton (2), Amie Middlemiss

The Men’s side took to the field looking to build on the Women’s momentum, with a mix of new young players and experienced heads. They showed promise early, but the Magpies opened the scoring in the 11th minute and quickly gained momentum, with their pace proving difficult to contain.

Barraba created several strong attacking opportunities, with Chook Townsend showing speed and linking well with winger Corey Jordan to make ground down the sideline, but they were unable to break through the Magpies’ defence. The forwards worked hard in the middle, with Thabiso Msiza carrying strongly, while halfback Brandon Newell showed quick thinking—picking up the ball from the back of the ruck and diving over the line, resulting in a penalty try after a high tackle from the Magpies.

The final score saw the Rams go down 7–61.

Points
Women
3 – Lily Bradshaw
2 – Leilani Tevaga
1 – Ally Smith, Jemma Johnson
PP – Ally Smith

Men
3 – Nick Sweeney
2 – Brandon Newell
1 – Thabiso Msiza
PP – James Brand

This weekend, both teams will travel to Armidale to take on the Baa Baa’s for an ANZAC Day clash, with kick-off times to be confirmed later in the week.