Three Far North Coast Rugby Union players have been named in the NSW Country Cockatoos squad.All three backline players have been a part of the Cockatoos side in previous years and know what it takes to play at the Australian Rugby Shield.Wollongbar Alstonville's Ben Damon has previously captained the side and has been a major part of the country side for many years.Alex Gibbon, who currently plays for Richmond Range and played his junior football at Wollongbar has again made the side after returning to the region after a stint in the Shute Shield in Sydney.The third member of the Far North Coast contingent is Vincent Quigley, who plays halfback for the Mullumbimby Moonshiners.The 2024 edition of the Australian Rugby Shield will be played from 2nd-6th October in Caloundra on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.In other Rugby news, the NSW Waratahs will be visiting the FNC region in August, with Charlie Gamble and Lalakai Foketi making appearances over a three day period.The pair will attend games in Bangalow and Lennox Head on Saturday 3 August, they will launch Trytag in Lismore on Sunday 4 August and then attend St Mary's College in Casino on Monday 5 August.The initiative by NSW Rugby Union will see Waratahs players head out to country regions to promote the game with local Development Officers.

The Far North Coast Rugby Union competition heads into Round 12 on Saturday with just 7 rounds remaining in the 2024 season.The Saturday matches look fairly easy for tipsters, with the Evans River and Casino Bulls match potentially the closest to predict.The SCU Gold Rats will host Casuarina at Maurie Ryan Oval in East Lismore with several changes from last week.The experienced Matt Anderson comes back into the side at 9 and CJ King moves into the front row after a solid game last week.Number 8 Xavier Salapo has been a powerhouse for the Rats this season and he will look to continue his try scoring feats against the Barbarians.Lismore will travel to Ballina, with the Seahorses looking to get back into the winners circle after a loss to Byron Shire last weekend.The Greens have made changes with Tate Bailey and Cameron Bryant returning to the front row, Cooper Cox will start at 9 and Cody Johnston moves to 10.A young centre pairing in Gus Leju and Soren Webster will take the field with tall winger Cohen Cartwright playing just his second First Grade match.All First Grade matches will kick off at 3:15pm.FIRST GRADE TEAM LISTSROUND TWELVE 20th July 2024Coopers FAR NORTH COAST RUGBY UNIONSCU: 1. CJ King, 2. Kirk Taylor-Brown, 3. Tala Esara Agafili, 4. Ben Miller, 5. Josh Wilson (c), 6. Lachlan Wallace, 7. Harrison Beaumont-Kennedy, 8. Xavier Salapo, 9. Matt Anderson, 10. Malachi Whaanga, 11. Cooper McDonald, 12. Jake Henry, 13. Jay Presland, 14. Antwan Coldwell, 15. Darcy SmithCoach: Beth FuggleManager: Tim BreenVCasuarina Beach: 1. Daniel Tilton, 2. Jem MacDonald, 3. Dan Raye (c), 4. Mason Duke, 5. James Munroe, 6. Graham Dodge, 7.Kellan Murphy, 8. Pat Williams, 9. Jacob Hall, 10. Harry Hall, 11. Jessy Kemp, 12. Webb Lillis, 13. Levi Dangerfield, 14. Sam Vereniki, 15. Kai GeorgeCoach: Geoff Townsend Manager: Stephen LowndesReferee: Will PalmerEvans River: 1. Oliver Clarke, 2. Matthew Francis, 3. Max Pye, 4. Oliver Mason, 5. Scott Willis, 6. Sam Carey, 7. J F Beytell, 8. Agustin Aversa, 9. Ben Morris, 10. Michael Miskle, 11. Jonathon Robinson, 12. Tama Williamson, 13. Adam Armistead (c), 14. Jack Semple, 15. Zane GaiterCoach: Luke CleaverManager: Adam GaiterVCasino: 1. Angus Langfield, 2. Robert MacKander, 3. Anthony Butta, 4. V Tau, 5. Cameron Davis, 6. Connor Frame, 7. Joseph Brooks, 8. Justin Zaiko (c), 9. Ben Collison, 10. Kalen Olive, 11. Tim Felsch, 12. Bryce Spencer, 13. Quinton Torrens, 14. Tepiti Korewha, 15. Nick BennCoach: Doug MurrayManager: Andrew GulliverReferee: Mark WhittonRichmond Range: 1. Simon Skinner, 2. Dan Sorrenti, 3. Duncan Ryan, 4. James Hewetson, 5. Jacob Lane, 6 Lachlan Thomas, 7. Ben Wheeler, 8. Hayden Pratt (c), 9. Alex Gibbon, 10. Bradon Gumbleton, 11. Cody Amos, 12. Paul Hewetson, 13. Nicholas Fuhrmann, 14. Hunter McMurtrie, 15. James PankhurstCoach: Alex GibbonManager: Shawn ButlerVWollongbar Alstonville: 1. Ewen McQueen, 2. Austin Markwort, 3. Benji Tiatia, 4. Matt Scott, 5. Dan May, 6. Tom Parker, 7. Joe Blyth, 8. Wilson Lovokuro, 9. Zach Hyatt, 10. Ben Damen (c), 11. Ryley Conlan, 12. Daniel Damen, 13. Hudson Love, 14. Bailey Hurlock, 15. Sam KerryCoach: William JohnstonManager: Chris DuleyReferee: Matt Clayton  Byron Shire Rebels: 1. Jordan Elliott, 2. Angus Wilbourn, 3. Scott Gamble, 4. Will Aisake, 5. Will Seymour, 6. Darcy Woods, 7. Manu Ojeda, 8. Sam Caldwell, 9. Will Hawkins, 10. Steve Gilbert (c), 11. Simon Lemare, 12. Oli Shakeshaft, 13 Will Cane, 14. Ben Mitchell, 15. Will LathamCoach: Ben MacDougall Manager: Eddy BrownVLennox Head: 1. Pat Spencer, 2. Joseph Daley, 3. Connor Blair, 4. Zayden Allen, 5. Luca Beasley-Kenk, 6. Josh Thick, 7. Jacob Kennedy, 8. Luke Smithers, 9. Atzin Jacobson, 10. Oscar Linton-France, 11. Rory Kershaw, 12. Jorelle Yock, 13. Nick Wilson, 14. Sean Parry, 15. Tom MontiethCoach: Scott JenkinsManager: Tony FisherReferee: Graham CookBallina: 1. Stan Lolohea, 2. Nathan Groves, 3. Brett Johnston, 4. Harry Bungate, 5. Gerald McLarnon, 6. Steve Paskins, 7. Reece Noble, 8. Pierce Bryers, 9. Andrew Grono, 10. Elliott Bryers (c), 11. Ben Robinson, 12. Carl Lolohea, 13. Reuben Saric, 14. Emori Rairailevu, 15. Nick BrydonCoach: Michael Greenhalgh Manager: Josh MagnusVLismore: 1. Mitchell Fawcett, 2. Cameron Bryant, 3. Tate Bailey, 4. Ben Briggs, 5. Harry Gillett, 6. Andrew Clark, 7. Mitchell Cox, 8. Andrew Jordan, 9. Cooper Cox, 10. Cody Johnston, 11. Loui Rubbo, 12. Gus Leju, 13. Soren Webster, 14. Cohen Cartwright, 15. Julian ThompsonCoach: Angus MacDougallManager: Stephen ClarkReferee: Will Barnes

Get ready for an action-packed weekend of hockey as Lismore teams up with Ballina to host the NSW Northern Division Women's Masters Hockey Championships.The event kicks off on Friday, 26 July and runs through to Sunday, 28 July, at the Goonellabah Hockey Centre in Hepburn Park and the Ballina Hockey Centre.Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said the collaboration between Lismore and Ballina showcases the strength and unity of our communities.“A lot of effort has gone into developing our Hockey Centre, and hosting an event of this magnitude in Lismore is a significant achievement," he said.“This event not only brings top-tier hockey to our area but also offers an opportunity for local businesses and the community to benefit from the influx of visitors. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved, and I encourage our community to come out and support the event.”This year's championships will feature 50 teams with over 850 competitors competing for top honours across the two venues. The NSW Women's Masters Hockey Championships, which began in 1985 in Newcastle with only 16 teams, has grown significantly in size and stature over the years.President of Far North Coast Hockey Inc., Nathan Kesteven, said we are thrilled to be hosting the NSW Women's Masters Hockey State Championships.“This event not only celebrates the athleticism and sportsmanship of our players but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and community spirit among all participants,” he said.“We’ve had a huge amount of interest from our local players, and this year will be entering five highly competitive teams in the event, from the Over 34 Div 1 team up to the Over 55’s Div 1.”“We are looking forward to welcoming teams, supporters and hockey enthusiasts to what promises to be an unforgettable weekend of competition.”For the first time, the Championships will be held on the Far North Coast, marking a significant milestone for the region. The championships promises to be an exciting and competitive event, showcasing the talent and dedication of athletes from across the northern part of the state.Local residents and visitors are invited to attend the event, support the teams and enjoy the exciting matches and vibrant atmosphere of the championships. The first game commences at 11am on Friday, 26 July at the Goonellabah Hockey Centre, 214 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah and the Ballina Hockey Centre at 2C Bentinck Street, Ballina.

Lismore Swans Juniors received special AFL guernseys from the West Coast Eagles, donated to Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg after the 2022 floods. The Eagles, a renowned AFL club, made this gesture to support the community's recovery.Swans President Philip Tsourlinis remarked on the kids' excitement. "It doesn't matter who you support, what code you love; it's just a fantastic gesture by the Eagles and the kids loved receiving an AFL guernsey." He also thanked the Mayor for presenting the guernseys and enjoying a morning of Aussie Rules footy, a sport he is passionate about.Mayor Krieg highlighted the importance of this support."Since the floods, sports participation has decreased, so helping out with participation is key. We know the benefits of keeping kids active by playing team sports, which have benefits that flow to their adult lives." "There are plenty of sports to choose from in Lismore, but I am biased and think Aussie Rules footy is undoubtedly the best sport to play."Tsourlinis encouraged the community to get involved in Aussie Rules.(Lismore Swans President Philip Tsourlinis and Mayor Steve Krieg handing out guernsey today. Photo: supplied)"Parents are looking for a fun, safe and challenging environment for their kids, and nothing is better than Aussie Rules," he said."Numerous kids in Lismore and the surrounding villages could make it to the AFL if they chose to play Aussie Rules instead of other sports. We have so many talented athletes in Lismore that they should be playing Aussie Rules."There is now a genuine pathway to the AFL via the Gold Coast or even Sydney for players in the Northern Rivers.""Kids playing Rugby League or Soccer have a lower chance of making it to the NRL or the A-League (if the A-League will even survive), or even to a top basketball league, so here is an Australian game made by Aussies watched and loved by millions around Australia. "The best thing is that Aussie Rules for kids is so fun and safe to play. Game Day is so much fun for parents as well as the kids. It's not always about making it to the big league; it's mainly about kids having fun and keeping active."He concluded with a call to action. "Let's see if we can fill teams between U7 to U17s by 2030. The challenge has been set, so anyone willing to volunteer and help is welcome to join and get on board."

There were two big wins for NSW teams in Lismore today as two national titles were decided at Albert Park.The Hills, Sydney, defeated the Melbourne Athletics in the Intermediate Baseball League, and in the Junior League, Cronulla Blacks defeated the hard-to-beat Brisbane North team in a clincher that is being touted as “an all-time great Gold Medal Game.”  Both winners will be heading to the U.S.A. to compete on the international stage at the 2024 League World Series.Junior League Championship (U15) Day 5 resultsGold Medal Final - Cronulla Black 3 def Brisbane North 2 (extras)Bronze Medal – Southern Hills Warriors 5 def Adelaide Marlins 4Consolation – Manly Maroon 18 def Adelaide Rays 0Consolation – Central Firebirds 6 def Melbourne Rangers 2 (extra innings)Consolation – Central Firebirds 7 def Melbourne Athletics 5Intermediate League Championship (U14) Day 5 resultsGold Medal Game – Hills 12 def Melbourne Athletics 0Bronze Medal – Ryde Hawks 7 def Melbourne Mets 2Consolation – Gold Coast 7 def Brisbane Metro 3Consolation – Southern Titans 7 tie Central Firebirds 7Junior Gold MatchCronulla Black 3 defeated Brisbane North 2 (extras)The match of the day went to the Junior Gold Medal Finals. Eric Balnar, from Baseball Australia, told us how it went down.“Cronulla Black won one of the all-time great Gold Medal games 3-2 in extra-innings over Brisbane North.“This game had everything. Great pitching. Insane defensive plays. A late comeback. A couple runs thrown out at the plate. High-drama. And of course, a championship.“They were trailing 2-0 entering the last inning, but scored the tying run while down to their final strike.“In the bottom of the seventh, they threw a runner out at home on what would have been Brisbane’s winning run to extend the game.“In the bottom of the eighth, they had the Championship run on third, but worked three outs to extend the game again.“Archie Sampson drove in the winning run in the ninth.“The full recap is here, as well as links to YouTube highlights of the game and individual plays.“They advance to the 2024 Junior League World Series later in the year in Michigan.Intermediate Gold Match“Hills (NSW) have claimed Australian Intermediate League (U14) Gold after a tremendous 12-0 victory over the Melbourne Athletics.“Jet Creamer starred on the mound. He took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, with a final stat line of 4.2 innings pitched, two hits conceded, no runs allowed and eleven strikeouts.“It was a great display of team batting, as eight different players from the Hills had hits, seven had runs batted in and ten reached base.“Hills are the only Intermediate League team to finish the tournament unbeaten.“This group of kids won the 2023 Australian Little League Championships and played in the World Series last year before aging up into Intermediate League in 2024.”Check out more details on the plays and a highlights reel.Having these games has meant a lot to Lismore, and Baseball Australia has enjoyed every minute of it. Eric Balnar said, “This game was a perfect end to a great month of baseball. The stands were full to the brim of supporters and players with a great energy. Lismore is a perfect place to host a tournament. “There are four fields, so we can be dynamic, but importantly, the people truly care and go the extra effort to make it a special experience for the kids. The locals just get it done. It's great to be around. “There's lots of great food and accommodation options, and the community supports us in so many different ways. Even the media coverage makes people feel important and what they do matters. Truly, thank you to Lismore and Far North Coast Baseball Association.  “We will be back in Lismore in May 2025 for another national championship and certainly hope to keep hosting events here in the future.”

The Lismore Storm Women's Basketball side are looking at making an impact in the Finals series.The team have a break this weekend before travelling south next weekend to take on the Coffs Harbour Suns, who sit in second spot, just one place in front of the Storm.The Women have returned to the Waratah State League after a long break and have done so with a combined north coast team, with players from Byron Bay, Ballina and Lismore joining forces.Currently, the Storm have 4 wins and 4 losses, sitting behind the Suns and the Canberra Nationals Academy.The last two games of the regular season will be played at Rosehill at the new Billbergia Indoor Sports Centre, where they will play the Moss Vale magic and the Canberra side.Ballina's Sasha Oxland, Byron Bay's Josie Josiah and Isis Crawford and Lismore's Makayla Greensill and Chloe Bull has been strong throughout the season for the Storm.Oxland and Greensill lead the Storm scoring.The Storm are coming off a last start 67-60 win over the Tamworth Thunderbolts in Lismore.

The organisers of the annual Byron Bay 7's have had a rollercoaster few weeks.The event, run by the Byron Bay Rugby Union Club, now the Byron Shire Rebels, will be held for the 32nd year, but it is only due to the support of several key organisations.Like most major events around the world, COVID prevented the tournament from running in 2020 and 2021.The event returned in 2022, but increasing costs and regulations put pressure on the events future.Earlier in the year the 32nd edition was launched and team registrations rolled in, but skyrocketing costs resulted in the organising committee to release a statement on 5 July.Dear Rugby Community,We regret to inform you that the 2023 Byron Bay Sevens Festival will not be going ahead.Bringing the event back in 2022 after a three-year Covid hiatus was a monumental task for our small group of volunteers, and we were very proud of the event that we were able to produce and deliver to you all for the Australian rugby community, which included:Welcoming 900+ players from 60 teams across AustraliaPlaying and officiating 130 matches across 3 fields over 2 daysDelivering a huge schools gala day and coaching clinic for 60+ kids on the Friday before the senior rugby matchesAnyone who attended the event in 2022 and prior would have seen the extra infrastructure including but not limited to: improved fenced bar area, bar furniture, extra security, extra police presence, and hydration stations.This increase in infrastructure was the result of increased compliance requirements within our event liquor license, all of which added significant costs to our not-for-proft community rugby club as hosts of the event.Naturally we wish to deliver a responsible, safe and compliant event, and we have done our best to mitigate and manage all these extra costs.However within the last week, unfortunately, we have learned that the cost of insurance through Rugby Australia has increased 167% from the previous year. This has tipped the scales to make the event too risky to run in its current format due to the risk of delivering a financial loss for our small community rugby club. The primary reason we stage the event (in addition to it being the best weekend of sevens rugby fun each year) is as a fundraiser to sustain and develop rugby in our town.It takes so much organisation and time from a small group of volunteers to execute, and if it does not generate income for our community rugby club to survive and prosper, equal to the work put into it, then it just does not make sense to run the event.Rugby participation is struggling in our local area and wider region. To combat this on the local front, we brought together two rival clubs this season – Byron Bay and Bangalow – to form a new club to keep rugby alive and growing. The new club Byron Shire Rebels has been a huge success for us, with participation at a high from juniors through to senior women’s & men’s teams. This was an immense workload throughout the off-season for our small group of volunteers. It was well and truly worth it, but frankly, we’re exhausted as a result.Also, sadly some clubs around us are not doing so well in this regard, resulting in a number of forfeits against us this season, starving our club of critical home match-day income. This makes taking any kind of financial risk for an event even more unpalatable.I love rugby, and I have taken my volunteer role as the custodian of this historic event very seriously over the last few years, but it has now hit the point that the event will lose considerable money before a ball is kicked or a whistle is blown.We are truly grateful for the support the event has received over all these years, from players, coaches, volunteers, match officials and all our long-standing sponsors and supporters.I hope that we can achieve the necessary support for it to resume so that this is not the end of its incredible 32 year history. Eddie BrownByron Bay Rugby Club PresidentOn Behalf of the Byron Bay 7s Organising CommitteeTeams and supporters were devastated, and messages of support began to flow in via social media and directly to the club.Local clubs have always been strong supporters of the event, with teams from every Far North Coast club taking part in recent years.Behind the scenes, support at higher levels began to take action and less than two weeks later, the club and organisers were able to release a positive statement, after the support of NSW Rugby Union and Rugby Australia allowed the tournament to return to the Australian rugby calendar.Dear Rugby Community,10 days ago we announced the difficult decision to cancel the 2023 Stone & Wood Invitational Byron Bay 7s Festival. The feedback and support from the rugby community has been overwhelming, and we are truly humbled and grateful.In response, both NSW Rugby Union, through its Positive Rugby Foundation and Rugby For Good partnership, and Rugby Australia have reached out to us to offer their support to ensure the event is back on the calendar in 2023.In short, the Stone & Wood Byron Bay Sevens Festival is back on as originally planned on 14-15 October 2023.REGISTER YOUR TEAMA huge thanks to NSW Rugby Union, NSW Positive Rugby Foundation and Rugby Australia for their support. As a result, we believe it will be the best event we’ve staged to date, with an even better experience for teams on and off the field. We’ll share more details in due course but we wanted to announce this exciting news as soon as possible in the hope that you can join us. To register your team, complete the form at https://byronbay7s.com.au/registration/ Once again, a massive thank you to everyone that has expressed their support or reached out to us to offer help.The tournament has developed over the years into an integral part of the Australian 7's calendar.Attracting teams from across Australia, and international groups from New Zealand, Fiji, USA, Singapore, Germany, Spain and across Asia, it has brought millions of dollars into the Far North Coast economy over 30+ years.Countless Wallabies and International stars have graced the Byron Bay Rugby fields and it's iconic location will, luckily, again be busy in October.The support is welcomed by a number of local families across the region, with the club being very proactive in helping local families and businesses clean up and recover after the devastating floods hit Lismore and surrounding areas in February and March 2022.

The annual Splendour in the Grass music festival has brought about a break in several major sporting competitions across the North Coast.The Far North Coast Rugby Union, Football Far North Coast and the NRRRL have all scheduled the weekend off to accommodate the popular local festival.Far North Coast Hockey and Far North Coast Baseball will continue with their competitions this weekend.The 2023 Splendour headliners include Lizzo, Flume, Mumford and Sons and the Hilltop Hoods and is being held at the North Byron Parklands.Football Far North Coast will resume next weekend with Round 15 in the Men's Premier League and just 4 rounds before Semi Finals.After defeating ladder leaders Bangalow last weekend, Byron Bay sit on top of the ladder, two points ahead of the Bluedogs.Alstonville, Souths, Rovers and Goonellabah fill the next positions on the ladder and all teams will be desperate to secure points over the remaining rounds.The NRRRL will play Round 14 next weekend and have just three more rounds to play before their Semi Finals.The Ballina Seagulls and Bilambil Jets lead the competition, two points in front of Northern United.Far North Coast Rugby Union will also play their Round 14 matches next Saturday 29 July.Two rounds remain, with Wollongbar Alstonville leading the competition, seven points ahead of Byron Shire Rebels, Casuarina and Ballina.Lismore City sit in 6th position, still looking for their first win of the season.The U/18 Colts and Women's teams will play Semi Finals this season with their final position determined over the last two rounds.The SCU Golds Rats currently sit in 6th position in the President's Cup Competition and have two games remaining to push themselves into fourth place and a Semi Final position.The club will host a massive Ex-Rats and Old Boys Day for their final home game of the season at Maurie Ryan Oval at SCU next weekend against Mullumbimby.

Lismore and Ballina have played out a nail biter in their FNCRU clash on Saturday at Lismore Rugby Park.The Greens got off to a flyer with four tries to two in the first half, with front rower Jathan von Bratt, Tyler Coveney, Mitchell Cox, and Angus MacDougall all crossing to give Lismore the best start to a game this season.Lismore led at the main break 26-12.The Ballina half time speech seemed to inspire the visitors as they clawed their way back into the match, scoring four tries to one in the second half with the game going down to the final minutes of the match.After a few tense moments, the Seahorses took the win 36-33.Outside back Joey Davis finished the match with a personal tally of 13 points after crossing for a try and converting four others.In the Reserve Grade match, Lismore took a 45-17 victory, the Women's 12's had a narrow 19-17 win over Range and the U/18 Colts went down to Evans Rivers 27-17.In other First Grade matches, Wollongbar Alstonville defeated Casuarina 43-30 and Casino forfeited to Byron Shire Rebels.Due to a general Bye for Splendour in the Grass, there are only catch up matches planned for next Saturday.Next Round's Matches 22nd JulyPresidents CupYamba v Southern Cross Uni Under 18's ColtsEvans River v LismoreCasuarina Beach v Lennox HeadFAR NORTH COAST RUGBY UNIONRound 13 Results 15th July 2023First GradeWollongbar Alstonville 43(Lloyd Morgan 2, Matt Nean, James Vidler, Sam Kerry, Louis Hollman tries, Bodi Smith 4, Sam Kerry conversions, Bodi Smith penalty goal) d Casuarina Beach 30(Kai George 2, Jem Macdonald, Jarrad Broadhurst tries, Webb Lillis 2 conversions, 2 penalty goals)Half Time: Wollongbar 19 – Casuarina 18Ballina 36(Reuben Saric 2, Harrison Cusack 2, Joel Noble, Stan Lolohea tries, Harrison Cusack 3 conversions) d Lismore 33(Joey Davis, Angus MacDougall, Tyler Coveney, Mitchell Cox, Jathan Von Bratt tries, Joey Davis 4 conversions)Half Time: Lismore 26 – Ballina 12 Byron Shire Rebels 30 d Casino 0Point Score – Wollongbar 57, Byron Shire 50, Casuarina 37, Ballina 29, Casino 20, Lismore 32nd GradeByron Shire 30 d Casino 0Casuarina Beach 20 Wollongbar 17Lismore 45 d Ballina 17Point Score – Byron Shire Rebels 54, Casuarina 43, Wollongbar 40, Casino 25, Lismore 16, Ballina 7Presidents CupMullumbimby 13 d Lennox Head 12 Yamba 33 d Evans River 26Richmond Range 10 d SCU 0Point Score – Richmond Range 44, Yamba 44, Evans River 33, Mullumbimby 25, Lennox 22, SCU 20 Kyogle 1Under 18'sLennox Head 54 d Casuarina Beach 13 Evans River 27 d Lismore 17 Point Score – Lennox 58, Casuarina 26, Lismore 22, Evans River 5Women's 12'sLismore 19 d Richmond Range 17Casuarina Beach 22 d Evans River 5Point Score – Casuarina 38, Lismore 27, Byron Shire 15, Evans 12, Richmond Range 8

Northern United will be out to down the Lower Clarence Magpies in their NRRRL clash at Clifford Park on Saturday.The Dirawongs continue to impress many and will be out to add another scalp in the progression to the Semi Finals.The side sits in equal first position on points, but third after For and Against is calculated.Coach Chris Binge has a very strong side at his fingertips and the work that he has done over the past fews years as well as a strong recruitment this season has resulted in success.The team comes off a solid victory over Marist Brothers last weekend, anchored by an impressive defensive effort.Lower Clarence are coming off a Bye last weekend but were impressive in Round 11 with a 42-16 win over the Rams.The match will be played at Clifford Park on Saturday afternoon, kicking off at 2:45pm.All four grades will be on show, with Ladies League Tag at 10:50pm, U/18's at 12:00pm and Reserve Grade starting at 1:15pm.Marist Brothers will travel to Mullumbimby to take on the Giants in Ladies League Tag, Reserve Grade and First Grade on Sunday.

Richmond Rovers and South Lismore will renew their rivalry on Saturday in East Lismore in a crucial clash for both sides.Just 1 point separates the two sides, with Rovers in fourth place on 19 points and South Lismore in fifth position, and with Semi Finals just around the corner, a win is important for both sides.Rovers are coming off a Bye last week and Souths had a 1-0 win over Mullumbimby Brunswick Valley.Rovers will be looking for home ground advantage and the support of the home crowd to get them over the line.The two sides clashed in Round 5 and nothing separated them on the scoreboard after a 1-1 draw.In other matches in Men's Premier League, the Goonellabah Hornets travel to Lennox Head on Friday night for an early 6:30pm match and Byron Bay and Bangalow will clash in a top of the table match in Byron Bay commencing at 8pm.On Sunday Mullumbimby Brunswick Valley host Alstonville.There will be plenty of interest around the globe in female soccer in Australia for the next few weeks, with the FIFA Women's World Cup being played across the country.Around our region Alstonville 2 host Goonellabah on Friday night and on Sunday Dunoon United travel to Byron Bay, as do Lennox Head for their games, Rovers host Bangalow in East Lismore and Ballina travel to Maclean.

The Lismore Rugby Club will host their Sponsors Day when they clash with the Ballina Seahorses at Lismore Rugby Park on Saturday.It has been a tough year for the Greens in First Grade but they face a Ballina outfit that are struggling for player numbers at the back end of the season and have been on the tough end of several big shorelines in recent weeks.The Lismore side will look to take advantage of a big crowd on Sponsors Day and look to finish the season on a high.The U/18 Colts are away to Evans River, with their match starting at 12:20pm and several players will jump in the car after the match and race back to support the Reserve Grade and First Grade sides.Reserve Grade kicks off in Lismore at 1:00pm and will be followed by the Women's 12's match against the Seahorses at 2:20pm.the Women are looking to enter the Semi Finals in winning form and are hitting their straps as the season enters its final stages.The First Grade match will start at 3:15pm.The SCU Gold Rats will be out to push their Semi Final credentials against a strong Range outfit in the FNCXRU Presidents Cup match at Maurie Ryan Oval at SCU on Saturday.The Gold Rats need to win their remaining matches to slide into Semi Final contention and the mix of youth and experience in the side definitely has the talent to push the ladder leaders.The match starts at 3:00pm.FIRST GRADE TEAM LISTSROUND THIRTEEN 15th JULY 2023FAR NORTH COAST RUGBY UNIONLismore: 1. Gavin Tulk, 2. Cameron Bryant, 3. Aggrey Leju, 4. Ethan Poole, 5. Dylan Tulk, 6. Tyler Coveney(c), 7. Mitchell Cox, 8. Tate Bailey, 9. Angus MacDougall, 10. Cody Johnston (c), 11. Matthew Buinisaqa, 12. Adam Rodd, 13. Jacob Lane, 14. Julian Thompson, 15. Fraser RuaneCoach: Cody JohnstonManager: Chloe IrelandVBallina: 1. Stan Lolohea, 2. Jack Reynolds, 3. Naleqwa Jope, 4. Sylvester Fahamokioa, 5. Kye Cribb, 6. Trevor Noble, 7. Harry Bungate (c), 8. Emosi Tabusili, 9. Andrew Grono, 10. Harry Cusack, 11. Joel Noble, 12. Wilson Lovokuro, 13. Reuben Saric,14. John Armstrong, 15. Cory SargentCoach: Karl Lupton, Michael Greenhalgh Manager: Brad HilyardReferee: Peter CampbellWollongbar Alstonville: 1. Benji Tiatia, 2. Lloyd Morgan, 3. Ewen McQueen, 4. Matt Scott, 5. Josh Galbraith, 6. Austin Markwort, 7. Justyn Keir, 8. Hamish Mould, 9. Louis Hollman, 10. Bodi Smith, 11. Thomas Parker, 12. Rory Collings, 13. Matt Nean, 14. James Vidler, 15. Sam KerryCoach: Bill JohnstonManager: Anthony DrewVCasuarina Beach: 1. Dan Tilton, 2. Jem MacDonald, 3. Daniel Chugg, 4. Dan Raye, 5. Jock Capel, 6. Chris de Young, 7. Liam Marcus, 8. Mitch Planten, 9. Oscar Sims, 10. Sam Harrison (c), 11. Jarrad Gorman, 12. Jessy Kemp, 13. Webb Lillis, 14. Richard White, 15. Kai GeorgeCoach: Graham DodgeManager: Stephen LowndesReferee: Matt Clayton  Byron Shire Rebels: 1. Dan Hill, 2. Gavin McGonagle (c), 3. Robert Taylor, 4. Will Aisake, 5. Darcy Hilton, 6. Angus Wilbourn, 7. Darcy Woods, 8. Harry Simmonds, 9. Otis Floyd, 10. Joel Little, 11. Jye Connochie, 12. Dominic Tydeman, 13. Eden Cruickshank, 14. Sebastian Roodt, 15. Jordan ThomasCoach: Troy Doughty, James BoysonsManager: Eddy BrownVCasino: 1. Cameron Davis (c), 2. Ben Collison, 3. Muaki Tuione, 4. John Burston, 5. Callum McLennan, 6. Hunter Ryan, 7. Joseph Brooks, 8. Harry Amy, 9. Zach Norris, 10. Hemirua Korewha, 11. Ratu Wainiqolo, 12. Silio Stavenow, 13. Sifa Natane, 14. Isoa Nailati, 15. Gaunavou DrugutanalevuCoach: Doug MurrayManager: Andrew GulliverReferee: Will Palmer

The SCU Gold Rats have tasted victory for the first time in a number of years with their hard fought win over Lennox Head on Saturday.The Gold Rats have returned to Far North Coast Rugby after being unable to field a team during the COVID interrupted competitions and related restrictions.With no students on campus, the club struggled to add players to their squad of locals, but 2023 has seen a resurgence at the club.The club rallied hard at the start of the 2023 season to resurrect the club and several club stalwarts have been able to make it happen. Names such as Condon, Murphy, Anderson, Ledger, McMullen, Witt, Quigley, Breen, Bird, Taylor-Brown and Kelly have been able to support the club again as they rebuild.The club has entered the President's Cup competition and after a bye in Round 1 and a narrow loss in Round 2 to Evans River they played their first home game in 3 years on Saturday at Maurie Ryan Oval against Lennox Head.With several changes from the team that took on Evans Head last week, the Gold Rats took to the field with confidence after defeating Lennox Head in a preseason trial game in March.Skillful Number 10 Perry Daly crossed for SCU's first try and it gave the side the confidence they needed, running in 4 tries to 2.The Gold Rats eventually running out 27-12 winners, with Finn Spencer adding 2 conversions and a penalty goal.The last victory for the club was in First Grade over Lismore 50-14, when the club hosted a massive 50th Anniversary celebration at their spiritual home at SCU.Numbers have been strong at training and the coaching staff led by Josh Condon, have been able to develop a great combination of youth and experience for the year award.The Gold Rats will look for revenge, when they host Evans River next weekend at Maurie Ryan Oval at 3:00pm.FAR NORTH COAST RUGBY UNION                       Round 3 Results 29th April 2023First GradeByron Shire Rebels 24(Benji Clarke 3, Joel Little, tries, Dominic Tydeman 2 conversions) d Casuarina Beach 12(Webb Lillis 2 tries, conversion)Half Time: Byron Shire 12 - Casuarina 7Ballina 24(Wilson Lovokuro 2, Kye Cribb tries, Nick Byron 3 conversions, penalty goal) d Wollongbar Alstonville 22(Ben Damen, Austin Markwort, James Vidler, Hamish Mould tries, Ben Damen conversion)Half Time: Wollongbar 17 - Ballina 0Casino 34(Hakeem Torrens 3, Gaunavou Drugutanalevu 2 tries, Jayden Torrens, Harold Torrens 2 conversions, Jayden Torrens penalty goal) drew Lismore 34(Gavin Tulk 2, Cody Johnston, Fraser Ruane, Cameron Bryant, Mitchell Cox tries, Joseph Davis, Xavier Tiseni conversions)Half Time: Casino 22 - Lismore 12Point Score – Byron Shire 15, Casuarina 9, Ballina 9, Wollongbar 8, Lismore 3, Casino 32nd GradeByron Shire Rebels 16 d Casuarina 5 Casino 31 d Lismore 12Wollongbar 68 d Ballina 5Point Score – Wollongbar 14, Byron Shire Rebels 14, Casuarina 6, Casino 5, Lismore 5, Ballina 0Presidents CupSouthern Cross Uni 27 d Lennox Head 12Richmond Range 46 d Kyogle 5Evans River v Mullumbimby - Match PostponedPoint Score – Richmond Range 15, Yamba 10, Evans River 10, SCU 6, Mullumbimby 1, Lennox Head 0, Kyogle 0Under 18'sLennox Head 35 d Lismore 17Casuarina 33 d Evans River 0Women's 12'sCasuarina 25 d Byron Shire 0Lismore 19 d Richmond Range 0Next Week's Matches - 6th May1st GradeBallina v CasinoCasuarina Beach v LismoreWollongbar v Byron Shire Rebels2nd GradeBallina v CasinoCasuarina Beach v LismoreWollongbar v Byron Shire RebelsPresidents CupMullumbimby v Richmond RangeSouthern Cross Uni v Evans RiverKyogle - ByeWomen's 12'sRichmond Range v Evans River at SCUCasuarina Beach v LismoreByron Shire Rebels - ByeUnder 18's ColtsCasuarina v LismoreLennox Head v Evans River at Yamba

Lismore has made a number of changes to its side to take on the Casino Bulls in Casino on Saturday.The Lismore side has tasted a heavy defeat to Wollongbar in Round 1 and had an improved performance against Ballina last week, going down 38-19.Gavin Tulk moves into the starting front row and Angus McDougall slips into the Number 8 jersey, two additions that will firm up the forward pack.Cameron Bryant has been named at hooker, taking over from Tait Bailey.Coach Cody Johnston will captain the side and play his first game of the year at halfback and will be partnered at 10 by Joey Davis, who moves closer to the action.Both sides will be looking for their first win of the season after Casino have had two heavy losses at the hands of Casuarina and Byron Shire in the first two rounds.First Grade will kick off in Casino at 3:30pm with Reserve Grade scheduled for 2:10pm. The Colts match between Lismore and Lennox will be played at Maurie Ryan Oval at Southern Cross University at 12:15pm prior to the the SCU Gold Rats match against Lennox Head in Presidents Cup. The Women's 10's side travel to Mallanganee to take on Range at 12:30pm.In the match of the round, Byron Shire will host Casuarina at Schultz Oval, Bangalow.FIRST GRADE TEAM LISTSROUND THREE 29th APRIL 2023FAR NORTH COAST RUGBY UNIONCasino: 1. Anthony Butta, 2. Ben Collison, 3. Nathan Davy, 4. Ethan Synott, 5. Lachlan Newman, 6. Jack Campbell, 7. Joseph Brooks, 8. Marcus Cusack, 9. Bradon Gumbleton, 10. Jayden Torrens, 11. Kalen Olive, 12. Bryce Spencer, 13. Jerome Sparke, 14 Zac Norris, 15. Harold TorrensCoach: Doug MurrayManager: Andrew GulliverVLismore: 1. Gavin Tulk, 2. Cameron Bryant, 3. Kane Lawson, 4. Mitchell Cox, 5. Mitchell Aquilina-Brown, 6. Calijah Craig, 7. Connor Clarke, 8. Angus MacDougall, 9. Cody Johnston (c), 10. Joseph Davis, 11. Andrew Clarke, 12. Xavier Tiseni, 13. Adam Rodd, 14. Matthew Buinisaqa, 15. Fraser RuaneCoach: Cody JohnstonManager: Lewis IrelandReferee: Peter CampbellByron Shire Rebels: 1. Jordan Elliott, 2. Gavin McGonagle (c), 3. Robert Taylor, 4. Will Aisake, 5. Jock Craigie, 6. Angus Wilbourn, 7. Manu Ojeda, 8. Benji Clarke, 9. Otis Floyd, 10. Joseph Carey, 11. Sam Reid, 12. Sol Hyde, 13. Dominic Tydeman, 14. Eden Cruickshank, 15. Ben MitchellCoach: Troy Doughty, James BoysonsManager: Eddy BrownVCasuarina Beach: 1. Daniel Chugg, 2. Jem MacDonald, 3. Dan Tilton, 4. Tom Tanner, 5. Mitch Planten, 6. Liam Marcus, 7. Zac Hanna, 8. Joel Spoor, 9. Oscar Sims, 10. Harrison Hall, 11. Lachlan Stacey, 12. Sam Harrison (c), 13. Jesse Kemp, 14. Webb Lillis, 15. Jesse GreyCoach: Graham DodgeManager: Stephen LowndesReferee: Graham CookWollongbar Alstonville: 1. Benji Tiatia, 2. Austin Markwort, 3. Ewen McQueen, 4. Matt Scott, 5. Steven Mison, 6. Justyn Keir, 7. Brendan Williams, 8. Austin Markwort, 9. Louis Hollman, 10. Ben Damen (c), 11. George Toomey, 12. Dan Damen, 13. Rory Collings, 14. James Vidler, 15. Bodi SmithCoach: Bill JohnstonManager: Anthony DrewVBallina: 1. Stan Lolohea, 2. Jack Reynolds, 3. Arthur Penisini, 4. Steven Paskins, 5. Kye Cribb, 6. Harry Bungate (c), 7. Wilson Lovokuro, 8. Emosi Tabusili, 9. Mark Pitt, 10. Nick Brydon, 11. Emori Rairailevu, 12. Anthony Lolohea (c), 13. Tupou Lolohea, 14. Reuben Saric, 15.Cory SargentCoach: Karl Lupton, Michael Greenhalgh Manager: Brad HilyardReferee: Matt Clayton

Lismore City's First Grade side fought back hard after a slow start in their encounter with the Ballina Seahorses on Saturday.For the second week in a row, the First Grade side was short of players with several changes being made prior to kick off.Ballina were able to race to an early 12-0 lead after just eight minutes before is shocked the Lismore side into their work.Lismore battled back with a try to veteran Gavin Tulk, followed by a try to fullback Adam Road to even the scores at 12-12.Ballina crossed again before halftime to lead 19-12.Field position and possession proved to be a problem for City in the second half, allowing the Seahorses to convert this into points as the match went on.Tulk crossed for his second try late in the match but unfortunately it was too late, with Ballina running out 38-19 winners.The Lismore backline impressed, with centres Xavier Tiseni and Julian Thompson, Rodd and winger Joey Davis all having strong hit outs.In an impressive start to the season, the Lismore Reserve Grade team had a comfortable 34-7 win.The selectors got the right mix of youth and experience, with the veterans working hard around the field and the young guns piling on the points.Best for City were father and son combo Tony and Zac Flood and brothers Fraser and Austin Ruane.FAR NORTH COAST RUGBY UNION                       Round 2 Results 22nd April 2023First GradeByron Shire Rebels 60(Campbell Harvey 3, Robert Taylor, Sol Hyde, Eden Cruickshank, Benji Clarke, Angus Wilbourn, John Turagabeci, Manu Ojeda tries, Dominic Tydeman 5 conversions) d Casino 12(Cameron Davis, Harold Torrens tries, Jayden Torrens conversion)Half Time: Byron Shire 22 - Casino 7Ballina 38(Stan Lolohea 2, Emori Rairailevu 2, Wilson Lovokuro, Arthur Penisini tries, Nick Byron 4 conversions) d Lismore 19(Gavin Tulk 2, Adam Rodd tries, Joseph Davis 2 conversions)Half Time: Ballina 19 - Lismore 12Casuarina Beach 18(Webb Lillis 6 penalty goals) d Wollongbar Alstonville 12(Steven Mison, Daniel Damen tries, Ben Damen conversionHalf Time: Casuarina 12 - Wollongbar 5Point Score – Byron Shire 10, Casuarina 9, Wollongbar 6, Ballina 5, Lismore 0, Casino 02nd GradeByron Shire Rebels 31 d Casino 19 Lismore 34 d Ballina 7Wollongbar 19 d Casuarina 14Point Score – Byron Shire Rebels 10, Wollongbar 9, Casuarina 6, Lismore 5, Casino 0, Ballina 0Presidents CupEvans River 24 d Southern Cross Uni 18Yamba 30 d Kyogle 0Richmond Range 41 d Mullumbimby 5Point Score – Richmond Range 10, Yamba 10, Evans River 10, SCU 1, Mullumbimby 1, Lennox Head 0, Kyogle 0Under 18'sLennox Head 45 d Casuarina 7Next Week's Matches 29th April1st GradeCasino v LismoreByron Shire Rebels v Casuarina BeachWollongbar v Ballina2nd GradeCasino v LismoreByron Shire Rebels v Casuarina BeachWollongbar v BallinaPresidents CupEvans River v MullumbimbyRichmond Range v KyogleSouthern Cross Uni v Lennox HeadYamba - ByeWomen's 12'sRichmond Range v LismoreByron Shire Rebels v Casuarina BeachEvans River - ByeUnder 18's ColtsEvans River v CasuarinaLennox Head v Lismore at SCUBarbarians - Bye

Lismore will be looking for a big improvement when they take on the Ballina Seahorses in Round 2 of Far North Coast Rugby Union on Saturday.With a large number of players unavailable for their first round clash with the Wollongbar Alstonville Pioneers, it was tough going for the Greens, going down 66-0.Lismore will fancy their chances this week after Ballina also had a heavy loss to the newly formed Byron Shire Rebels 50-0 in Round 1.Lismore will welcome back a number of key players, with backrower Connor Clarke, halfback Kyle Maluta, wingers Fraser Ruane and Joey Davis, centre Julian Thompson and fullback Adam Rodd forming a young but exciting side that will take on the big Ballina team.The majority of the team have come through the successful Colts program and have a strong future ahead and will need to hold their nerve against an experienced Ballina team.Lismore will travel to Ballina with three grades, with the Women's match having to be rescheduled for a later date.The Colts will kick off at 12:30pm, the Reserves clash at 1:50pm and the main game is scheduled for 3:15pm.In other fixtures, the Casino Bulls host the Byron Shire Rebels and Wollongbar Alstonville will travel to Casuarina in what will be the match of the round after both had big wins last week.FIRST GRADE TEAM LISTSROUND TWO 22nd APRIL 2023FAR NORTH COAST RUGBY UNIONBallina: 1. Stan Lolohea, 2. Jack Reynolds, 3. Arthur Penisini, 4. Steven Paskins, 5. Kye Cribb, 6. Harry Bungate (c), 7. Wilson Lovokuro, 8. Emosi Tabusili, 9. Mark Pitt, 10. Nick Brydon, 11. Emori Rairailevu, 12. Anthony Lolohea (c), 13. Reuben Saric, 14. Liam Green 15. Cory SargentCoach: Karl Lupton, Michael Greenhalgh Manager: Brad HilyardVLismore: 1. Kane Lawson, 2. Tate Bailey, 3. Jathan Von Bratt, 4. Mitchell Cox, 5. Mitchell Aquilina-Brown, 6. Calijah Craig, 7. Connor Clarke, 8. Tyler Coveney (c), 9. Kyle Maluta, 10. Charlie Clarke, 11. Fraser Ruane, 12. Xavier Tiseni, 13. Julian Thompson, 14. Joseph Davis, 15. Adam RoddCoach: Cody JohnstonManager: Lewis IrelandReferee: Richard GoswellCasino: 1.Muaki Tuione , 2. Anthony Butta, 3. Nathan Davy, 4. Ethan Synott, 5. Cameron Davis (c), 6. Jack Campbell, 7. Joseph Brooks, 8. Lachlan Newman, 9. Bradon Gumbleton, 10. Jayden Torrens, 11. Kalen Olive, 12. Bryce Spencer, 13. Jerome Sparke, 14 Zac Norris, 15. Harold TorrensCoach: Doug MurrayManager: Andrew GulliverVByron Shire Rebels: 1. Jordan Elliott, 2. Gavin McGonagle (c), 3. Robert Taylor, 4. Will Aisake, 5. Jock Craigie, 6. Angus Wilbourne, 7. Manu Ojeda, 8. Benji Clarke, 9. Otis Floyd, 10. Joseph Carey, 11. Sam Reid, 12. Sol Hyde, 13. Dominic Tydeman, 14. Eden Cruickshank, 15. Ben MitchellCoach: Troy Doughty, James BoysonsManager: Eddy BrownReferee: Graham CookCasuarina Beach: 1. Daniel Chugg, 2. Jem MacDonald, 3. Chris Guest, 4. Tom Tanner, 5. Izak Van Niekerk, 6. Callum O'Shea, 7. Zac Hanna, 8. Liam Marcus, 9. Oscar Sims, 10. Harrison Hall, 11. Lachlan Stacey, 12. Sam Harrison, 13. Jesse Kemp, 14. Webb Lillis, 15. Jesse GreyCoach: Graham DodgeManager: Stephen LowndesVWollongbar Alstonville: 1. Steven Mison, 2. Bill Johnston, 3. Benji Tiatia, 4. Matt Scott, 5. Josh Galbraith, 6. Tarj Bennett, 7. Brendan Williams, 8. Austin Markwort, 9. Louis Hollman, 10. Ben Damen (c), 11. Sam Kerry, 12. Dan Damen, 13. Rory Collings, 14. James Vidler, 15. Bodi SmithCoach: Bill JohnstonManager: Anthony DrewReferee: Matt Clayton

Lismore's Malachi Canning has qualified to represent Australia at the Global Games In France.Malachi is a member of Lismore Little Athletics and earned his place in the Australian team after several amazing results at the National Athletics Championships.The Championships were held in Brisbane from the 30 March to the 2 April and Malachi returned from the meet with three medals.The event was the last chance to qualify for the Virtus Global Games, an event for Para-athletes, which will be held between the 4-10 June in Vichy, France.Malachi returned with two Gold medals and a Bronze, throwing the qualifying distance in Javelin to cement his selection.He returned with a Gold in Discus, a Personal Best and Bronze medal in Shot Put and another PB and Gold Medal in Javelin.Too add to his busy schedule, Malachi also placed 4th in his 100m heat, 5th in the 400m finals and 4th in the Long Jump.Canning will compete in Javelin, Discus and Shot Put events at the Games.He will compete on the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th of June and he is very excited about the opportunity.It is Malachi's first time travelling outside of Australia, departing on 1 June and he gets the opportunity to wear the Australian uniform and represent his country.Virtus is the global organisation that governs, advocates, organises and promotes elite sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment.

The Marist Brothers Rams opened the 2023 season with victory over the Kyogle Turkeys at Oakes Oval on Sunday.Co-Captain Mitchell Krause scored two tries in the hard fought six tries to five victory over an improving Turkeys outfit.Kyogle suffered several big defeats in 2022 and have rebuilt well under ex-Rams coach Michael Woods and pushed the Rams right to the final whistle.The Rams eventually ran out 34-26 victors in a strong start to the season and a nice start to the coaching partnership for Matt Barber and Mick Davis.New recruit and Brothers junior David Mead started in the centres and for a boost for the club, try scoring machine, backorder Josh Patton also returned after spending 2022 in the Queensland Cup with Tweed Heads Seagulls.Reserve Grade also got off to a good start with a 40-0 victory which included four tries to Campbell Harvey and a perfect goalkicking display from Mitch Slaven, slotting 6 from 6.Ladies League Tag completed the clean sweep for Brothers with a 42-0 win.Co-Captain Shataya King dominated, with a personal tally of 18 after scoring two tries and kicking five conversions in the big win.Next week the Rams travel to Casino to take on the Cougars at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Lopsided results dominated Round 1 of the Far North Coast Rugby Union First Grade Premiership on Saturday.In a disappointing start to the season, three sides failed to score a point and their opponents managed to tally 201 points in the first round.In their return to First Grade, the Casino Bulls were courageous, but were outclassed by a strong Casuarina side 85-0.The Bulls will not get it easy in Round 2 when they host Byron Shire.The newly formed Byron Shire Rebels, an amalgamation of the Bangalow and Byron Bay clubs got off to the perfect start with a 50-0 victory over Ballina.The results of the amalgamation were always going to be interesting and a detailed process, but it appeared that the partnership has started strongly.Lismore travelled to Wollongbar to take on the 2022 Premiers, the Pioneers, with a depleted side after nearly half the First Grade side were unavailable due to prior commitments.Five players made their First Grade debuts for the club, with Mitchell Cox, Gus Leju, Calijah Craig, Atticus Hanney and Charlie Clarke all pulling on a First Grade jersey for the first time.With a number of players backing up after the Reserve Grade clash, the Greens were up against it, with Wollongbar running out 66-0 victors.Clarke made a strong debut for the side, taking the teams Man of the Match, with captain Tyler Coveney and youngster Andrew Clarke and Xavier Tiseni also have strong games.Pioneers winger Sam Kerry collected 21 points in the match, with fullback Bodi Smith scoring a hat trick of tries for the hosts.Reserve Grade also had a tough first match, with the Pioneers running out 73-19 winners, with Lismore's Andrew Clarke also impressing in the lower grade match.Several clubs had a number of players absent for the Round 1 clashes due to schools holidays and other commitments but it is hoped that the results are not an indication of the competition this season.One of the big shocks in Far North Coast Rugby Union for the 2023 season is the failure of Lennox Head to field a team in First Grade.The club narrowly lost the 2022 First Grade Grand Final to the Wollongbar Alstonville Pioneers and just 7 months later the previously powerful club is fielding just a Presidents Cup team and a Colts team in the competition, with the Presidents Cup team going down to Yamba 52-12 on Saturday.FAR NORTH COAST RUGBY UNION                       Round 1 Results 15th April 2023First GradeByron Shire Rebels 50(Gavin McGonagle 2, Sam Reid 2, Robert Taylor, Dominic Tydeman, Darcy Woods, Jordan Elliott tries, Dominic Tydeman 5 conversions) d Ballina 0Half Time: Byron Shire 12 - Ballina 0Wollongbar Alstonville 66(Bodi Smith 3, Rory Collings 2, James Vidler, Tarj Bennett, Sam Kerry, Daniel Damen, Brenden Williams tries, Sam Kerry 8 conversions) d Lismore 0Half Time: Wollongbar 40 - Lismore 0Casuarina Beach 85(Zac Hanna 2, Jesse Grey 2, Harrison Hall 2, Liam Marcus, Cody Ross, Mitch Planten, Jem MacDonald, Oscar Sims, Webb Lillis, Sam Harrison tries, Webb Lillis 9, Harrison Hall conversions) d Casino 0Half Time: Casuarina 41 - Casino 0Point Score – Casuarina 5, Wollongbar 5, Byron Shire 5, Ballina 0, Lismore 0, Casino 02nd GradeCasuarina 29 d Casino 7Byron Shire Rebels 28 d Ballina 14Wollongbar 73 d Lismore 19Point Score – Wollongbar 5, Casuarina 5, Byron Shire 5, Ballina 0 Casino 0, Lismore 0Presidents CupEvans River 22 d Mullumbimby 19Yamba 52 d Lennox Head 12Richmond Range 76 d Kyogle 5Point Score – Richmond Range 5, Yamba 5, Evans River 5, Mullumbimby 1, SCU 0, Lennox Head 0, Kyogle 0Next Week's Matches 22nd April1st GradeBallina v LismoreCasino v Byron Shire RebelsCasuarina v Wollongbar2nd GradeBallina v LismoreCasino v Byron Shire RebelsCasuarina v WollongbarPresidents CupYamba v KyogleRichmond Range v MullumbimbyEvans River v Southern Cross UniLennox Head - ByeWomen's 12'sEvans River v LismoreRichmond Range v Byron Shire RebelsCasuarina - ByeUnder 18's ColtsCasuarina v Lennox HeadBarbarians v LismoreEvans River - Bye