The Cootamundra Rugby Club is supporting one of their own, former player Wal Hazlett, as he embarks on a long journey to recover from a helicopter accident which left him with major spinal injuries and confined to a wheelchair.
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A black tie benefit ball has been organised by a group of mates, most of them current and former Tricolours, for Saturday, May 27, with a game of rugby to be played during the day.
An organising committee hopes to raise $50,000 to help support Hazlett as he attends specialist spinal cord injury rehabilitation centre ‘Making Strides’ in Burleigh Heads, a journey he has just started.
A lamb drive was held at the Cootamundra Saleyards on Wednesday, prior to the fortnightly sheep sale, with 81 donated lambs netting more than $12,000 for the cause.
Committee member Bob Scott was over the moon at the response with all buyers showing good support of the charity event.
A grain drive is also being conducted with upwards of 40 tonnes pledged. This will close in another month or so if anyone still has grain to commit to the worthy cause.
Mr Scott said preparations for the ball are coming along well.
Tickets are on on sale online or at the Outback Bakery at a cost of $160 a head which includes a three-course catered meal, drinks and pre-cocktail starters.
Wal, with his wife Chloe and children Tom and Jack, will be in Cootamundra for the weekend making the trip from their outback Queensland home.
10’s Tournament
Meanwhile, the club got their on-field season off on the right foot on Saturday hosting a successful 10s Tournament at Country Club Oval.
It was a case of deja vu as, like Kapooka the week before, Leeton came out on top in the men’s while CSU proved too strong in the women’s sevens event.
The Phantoms put in a dominant performance to take down the Steamers in the final while the Reddies girls didn’t let in a single point on the way to taking out the title.
As for the home side, the Tricolours won two games against Harden and Yass but lost to runners-up Albury.
Coach Josh Hudson was pleased with the effort shown and the way the boys gelled on the field.
He said they had their chances to win against Albury.
Numbers were acceptable with 13 Tricolours lacing up their boots on the day, however with between 10 and 15 players showing up to most training sessions, Hudson is encouraging increased committment.
In beating Yass, the Tricolours won the Ronald Connors Memorial Shield, played for first in 2015 and honouring a popular local figure in the Yass rugby scene and a friend to many in both Yass and Cootamundra.
