The development of women's 15s rugby in the region will take a big step forward this weekend.
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The inaugural Northern NSW Premier Women's XVs competition will be played in Armidale on Sunday.
Involving teams from both Central North and New England, as well as the Mid North Coast and possibly Far North Coast (the capacity of their involvement will depend on the flood situation), the idea of the competition is two fold; to provide more exposure, and competition, for women to the 15s game, and also help prepare the respective sides for the Country Championships in June.
Development officer for Central North and New England Paddy Bowen has been a driving force in the inception of the competition and said it should be a good day.
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"The general buzz around it has been very positive," he said, adding that the response shows the desire is there.
"It's given us a good bit of traction to launch this again."
Possibly at the end of the year.
Central North have been active in their recruitment and preparation holding a couple of development days, and should be strong although they will be without their Narrabri contingent as the Blue Boars have a trial down in Mudgee.
But that is "nature of the beast" as Bowen put it, at this time of the year with clubs readying for their local seasons.
As for New England, it will be the first time they have fielded a representative 15s side for a number of years. They haven't participated in the Country Championships since before the advent of the women's competition.
"It's exciting. It's the first time they've had a women's competition in the background supporting them," Bowen said.
The action will kick-off at Moral Oval at 9.30am.
The plan is for each team to play each other once to, Bowen said, "try and simulate" the tournament style rugby they will encounter at the championships.
With the development focus, games will be 20 minute quarters to enable the coaches to "touch base [with the players] at more intervals throughout the games".
They have also allowed time for a 'masterclass' on a specific facet if needed.
"We wanted to have as many coachable moments during the game," Bowen said.
It won't be the only rugby action on Sunday with the Central North Juniors holding their representative trials in Tamworth.
The trials will be split over two time slots with the under-12 boys and girls, U13, 14 and 15s boys and U18 girls in the morning and the U16 and 18s boys and U14 and 16s girls in the afternoon.
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