WA’s largest kids rugby competition returns to Albany for fifth year

The largest kids’ rugby competition in WA will be returning to Albany for its fifth year as teams from across the State flock to the junior rugby carnival this weekend. About 600 children are set to attend from more than 50 teams, bringing about 2000 people to the region. Four sides will be playing from Albany with the under-12 team defending the title they won at last year’s competition. It’s a high-intensity format in which only seven people are allowed on field at once from each team. With each squad consisting of 10-12 players, rolling subs will be allowed throughout the games which have halves of just seven minutes. Albany Junior Rugby Club secretary Paul Osborne said the format of the two-day competition would help kids experience the joys of rugby. “It’s a format that sort of just gives kids more of a go,” he said. “They get more touches on the ball, it’s high tempo, it’s probably safer in terms of bodies on the field, there’s more space. It’s just a high-tempo version of rugby.” Games will be played on seven pitches at the ovals on the corner of North Road and Campbell Road, starting on Saturday from 10-4pm. Finals will be played on Sunday from 9am to 1pm. With teams coming from Perth, Joondalup, Rockingham, Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and more, Osborne said the event would be “pretty jam-packed”. “We just want kids to enjoy the occasion, to enjoy the fact that they’re away with family and friends,” he said. “After this weekend they’ll ask us ‘when are the dates for the next tournament’ and they’ll rebook their accommodation so it's really popular. “Thanks to the main tournament sponsors Ray White Rural Albany, they’ve helped out a huge amount in terms of funding and supporting the tournament. “And then obviously thank you to the general public for supporting it.”