Muddy field conditions didn’t stop the 34th annual Armidale Blues Rugby Union knockout from proceeding on Saturday and a new format for this year proved a success.
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The club made the decision to switch to a sevens format after numbers decreased in the 15-a-side knockout competition in previous years.
Sixteen men’s and six women’s teams entered the 2017 event and bleak and blustery conditions couldn’t slow down the competition’s players and spectators from gathering at Moran Oval.
“We had people here all day coming and going,” Blues club president and the day’s organiser Anthony McMillan said.
“All the spectators were pleased with what they saw with their first hit out. It is the way to go. Next year we will probably look to build instead of having three or four teams from one club, we will see if we can get different teams from different towns and see what happens.”
Narwan Eels beat Albies in an exciting finish in the final of the top division while Inverell were too good in the women’s.
The Tamworth Pirates won the Plate final in the lower division.