It may be the middle of the rugby off-season in December, but the Yass Rams have been busy preparing for next year in recent weeks, after finalising their committee, coach, and dates for a return to training in the pre-season.
The Rams will take to the field for their 147th season in 2025, with the club again looking to compete for the title in the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union’s South Coast competition.
Speaking on the club’s recent successful AGM, First Grade manager Bronson Sainsbury said that things are looking up for the club heading into next year.
“The Yass Rams had a solid AGM this year,” he said.
“We have a committee of 15 this year, which is one of the strongest committees we have had for a while.
“Most of the people from last year returned and then we got a few new ones onboard and a few people that have run the committee a few years ago have come back as well.
“It was a really pleasing result and a really good turn out.”
Looking towards pre-season trials, Sainsbury said that the club is committed to their annual match against Boorowa, as well as a potential visit to the Boorowa Beer and Rugby Festival and more, with the date for a return to training also set.
“We had a chat with one of the guys from Boorowa yesterday about the Beers and Rugby Fest,” he said.
“We have the Buckmaster Shield that we play Boorowa for every year in the pre-season and we will be playing them at some stage for that.
“We did go to the Beer and Rugby Festival last year, but haven’t had any serious discussion around any other trials for next year at this stage, but we will have a couple locked in.
“Pre-season training will kick off the first Tuesday after Australia Day when everyone is back from school holidays and the Christmas break.”
In regards to the coaching ranks, there has been significant movement, with the club locking in a new First Grade mentor, while applications are open for the women’s coaching role.
“Ian McFarlane, who has been our head coach for the last four years is moving on,” Sainsbury said.
“He is going to spend a bit more time watching his son who plays First Grade in Canberra, and we have Tony Whittaker who was our backs coach last year and he is stepping up to be head coach for next season.
“We are currently working on locking in a coach for the women’s team for next season as well.
“Pete Paullo was our women’s coach for last year and he has moved away to Lithgow.”
As for where the side will play next year, which has been the source of much speculation ever since fellow South Coast Rugby Union side Crookwell attempted to join the South West Cup competition, Sainsbury confirmed that the Rams will continue in their current union.
“We will be back in the South Coast competition,” he said.
“There’s potentially a few changes in that competition this year, but they’re just waiting from a couple of other clubs whether they will be in it or potentially a couple of clubs merging or dropping out of it.
“There’s always a bit of that stuff that happens this time of the year.
“We are waiting to see what that looks like for next year, but we will certainly be in it.”
On the prospect of moving competitions at some point in the future, Sainsbury said it is unlikely, given that the travel burden will be almost as bad, and that the club would prefer to remain in a Brumbies-affiliated competition given their proximity to Canberra.
“There’s no easy comp for us in terms of travel,” he said.
“There’s another competition that Boorowa is in, the South West Fuels Cup, and in that competition you have to travel out to Blayney and places like that, there’s no easy comp for us.
“The one that we are in is pretty good, it’s a high standard of competition and we know all the clubs that are in it and it suits us. “The other [South West] competition comes under Waratahs, whereas the competition we are in comes under the Brumbies and we get some really good strong support from Brumbies and we are happy to continue in that competition and we have never considered changing.”
-Tallon Smith
