CNRU Round 11: Pirates turn the tables on Moree in absorbing battle 32-25

Mid-way through the first half of Saturday's Central North clash at Ken Chillingworth Oval, there was a sense of 'not again' among the Pirates faithful as Moree ran in three unanswered tries.

The Bulls had won their last three meetings, and at 15-nil down it wasn't looking promising for them changing that. Even co-coach Mick Squires conceded to thinking history might be going to repeat at that stage.

But, galvanized to turn the tables, and also give one of their stalwarts a winning send-off, with long-time talisman Andrew Moodie playing his last game in the black and gold, Pirates rallied and pulled off what Squires post-match rated their best win in his time coaching first grade.

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The 32-25 triumph also saw them get their hands on the Kookaburra Challenge Cup for the first time and they will take it up to Inverell to defend next week.

Squires said it was nice to win that, but the real satisfaction was beating the Bulls.

"It was just nice to get in the grind today and beat them because they've been too good for us," he said.

After playing "some good footy without reward" - the Bulls' defence was resolute and held them up over the line at least three times - Jackson Sharpe provided the lucky break Pirates needed when he pinched the ball from a Bulls scrum close to their line in the final seconds of the first half.

A few phases later Sam Collett went over and Brendan Rixon added the extras to make it 15-7 at half-time and set up an absorbing second half. It was tit-for-tat, and for much of the 40 minutes only a few points separated the two sides.

Carrying on from where they left off in the first half, Pirates scored twice in the first 10 minutes to hit the front for the first time.

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Mitch Adams restored the Bulls' lead with a settling penalty, only for Pirates No.8 Ratu Vuibau to burst through the ruck and put on some fancy footwork a few minutes later, and put them ahead 24-18 with 15 to play.

Only briefly, with Bulls winger Asesela Ravavu pursing his third to give them back the lead 25-24.

Despite the absence of several of their generals, Pirates' scrum was a strength and with six remaining earned them a penalty, and opportunity to reclaim the lead.

Putting them only two ahead, it was still nervous times. But from there they played the territory game well, and from another penalty opted to take the scrum and Collett sliced through to seal the win.

It was a big effort, especially considering they were missing a number of their big guns. They also lost stand-in captain Tim Collins in the first half to a head knock.

"It showed our team today we can just get in the grind, can win without our bigger players," Squires said.

"And as I said to them in the sheds before the game, clubs just don't win competitions without depth but they also don't win without having that depth tested."

Bulls coach Jack Travers felt Pirates' experience managing those close games was probably the difference in the end.

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"Their team's a lot older than ours, and experienced, and our guys are still learning in those sort of situations," he said.

He couldn't be happier with his sides effort though, particularly the defensive effort in the first half.

"That's huge and just shows how determined these guys are and just proves how far they have come this year already," Travers said.

"Really pleasing signs. We've just got to work on icing the game at the end."

Elsewhere Narrabri beat Scone 34-5 and Walcha accounted for Quirindi 38-19.

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