CNRU Round 5: Pirates outclass Walcha 59-5

Up 14-nil after 10 minutes they never looked back, producing some of their best rugby of the season to thrash the Rams 59-5.

It was scintillating stuff at times, their support play a real feature.

Two tries particularly stand out; Flynn Bowyer's first half effort, the winger finishing off a brilliant breakout from a then 13-man outfit with Tyson Waters and skipper Conrad Starr both serving time in the bin.

The first of a double in what was his first start of the year, it pushed their lead out to 19-nil midway through the first half.

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But there was better to come. Midway through the second half, receiving a downfield kick from the Rams about 20m inside Pirates' half, Bowyer linked up with fullback Sam Collett, who, as he did all game, made good metres and was able to slip an offload to a backing up Bowyer as he went to ground.

Bowyer then found five-eighth Jayden Kitchener-Waters. Sensing an opportunity, he took on the broken Rams defensive line before releasing inside centre Brendan Rixon.

As the cover defence came across Rixon then turned the ball back inside to Kitchener-Waters. Eventually caught about 15 out, he managed to get an offload away to Rixon, and a quick switch to the right and Bowyer was over in the corner to make it 38-5.

It was pretty to watch and had Pirates' supporters salivating about what could be to come this season.

The game was well and truly done by then. In fairness it probably was at half-time, with Pirates up 26-nil and looking in total control, their discipline and a few pushed passes about their only fault.

They asserted their dominance early, Starr scoring from an almost pushover try in the 7^th minute.

Collett grabbed his first (he also finished with a double) a couple of minutes later on the back of some good ball movement to make it 14-nil.

Co-coach Doug Biffin said that really set it up for them.

"To get a good start up here is always important," he said.

"And that's a thing that we have been focusing on the last few weeks because we have been a bit lacklustre at the start," he said.

"The first 10 minutes probably there was no errors and that laid the platform for the game."

He thought overall they were "good in patches" and said it was good to see them execute some of the plays they have been practising at training.

It was a timely performance with a big couple of weeks looming. They have unbeaten Narrabri at home next Saturday then Gunnedah, who are also unbeaten, in Gunnedah the following week.

Both posted big wins on Saturday with the Red Devils thrashing Moree 57-7 and the Blue Boars accounting for Inverell 43-21.

Walcha were their own worst enemies at times. Their lineout was terrible, particularly in the first half, they consistently knocked on after only a couple of phases and looked disjointed in attack.

Matt Williams provided their only moment of joy, the centre finishing off a well-worked set-piece wrap around play.

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