The region’s best under 23s and league-tag players took on respective outfits from the Canberra Region Rugby League (CRRL) and the Gungahlin Bulls clubs. 

The under 23s representative clash was the headline match of a full day of games, where the visitors secured the result 46-4. 

Group 16 fullback Kyle Shepherdson sparked the locals’ sole try, blitzing past a series of defenders in a blinding 40-metre sprint before an inside pass and a flick back to the outside for winger Joel Grewar to score in the corner. 

However, the opposing Canberra Fullback Ryan McQueen proved a challenging opponent as he ran in a number of tries, helping the visitors to a 24-4 lead at the main break. 

Group 16 chairman Allan Wilton said the local troops had done the region proud to defend against a highly skilled Canberra outfit under a weight of possession. 

“The possession rate would have been 65 – 35 in favour of Canberra,” Wilton said. 

“The local guys had a real dig and they’ve done the Group proud.”

Wilton said a lot of the work was done through the middle and praised Ingram, Andrew Ayers and Richard Bensley out of the Cooma camp. 

Meanwhile, he said a lot of the scoring for Canberra came through their halves combination of Nick Cornish and Derek Hay. 

It was a similar story in the women’s fixture as the Group 16 league-tag outfit started well before the visiting Canberra contingent rallied back to clinch the result. 

Wilton heaped praise on Georgina Clarke of the Bombala High Heelers, while also commending the Group 16 outfit on pulling together well. 

“They performed really well, especially against such quality opposition,” he said. 

“They just got better as the day went on.”

However, Canberra was able to cycle through plenty of fresh legs with regular interchanges. 

In earlier matches, the open Bega Roosters seniors surprised the visiting Gungahlin Bulls with a 20-18 win, tapping a last-minute try to steal the win. 

The Bega 18s lost their exhibition clash with the Bulls after a gruelling and physical encounter in extreme heat at the Bega Recreation Ground.

Wilton said a number of players from within Group 16 had made a very strong case for selection in the respective Monaro sides that will go on to contest the Country Championships. 

The greater Monaro outfit went on to win last year with eight players being named in further pathway programs following the success. 

Wilton said the under 23s and league-tag rosters would be announced in the next week or two after selectors had a good review of the weekend’s games.