Pre-season for the Moree Weebolla Bulls got off to a fast pace when they took a team to Darwin to compete in the 2018 Hottest Sevens in the World tournament.
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About 22 Moree competed in the two-day tournament against some high-calibre interstate and international competition.
The Bulls lost each of the four games, however Moree Rugby Club president Paul King said they got to see some really good rugby.
The Australian men’s team as there, as was a women’s team from France.
“It was a chance for the guys to get to know each other better,” he added.
“They had a good time.”
Pre-season training has begun for the Bulls.
The Bulls will play a trial match against Goondiwindi in Goondiwindi on Match 17.
It will be played before the 2018 Border Cup between Central North and Darling Downs.
Moree is currently waiting on a finalised draw on he new-look competition to be released.
But at this stage the revamped 2018 Central North-New England competition is set to kick off on April 7.
Earlier this month, the two zones decided to adopt a 14-team one round format in favour of a conference structure.
“It’s going to be a single round of home and away games,” King said.
“With 10 teams out of Central North and four New England teams in first grade.
“The two groups system wouldn’t work out.
“It wouldn’t be fair on everyone.
“Plus there were a few other things to factor in.
“There was quite a bit of detail to consider.”
The teams to play each other once during the home and away season.
The draw will then be reversed in 2019.
“It’s a two-year draw, so it’ll reverse next year,” King said.
“We travel to Scone this year and Walcha comes to us, and next year we’ll swap.”
At the end of the home and away season, there will be a dedicated derby round for clubs to play their rivals.
That means Moree will play Narrabri.
The top teams will then play a six-team finals series.
A draft draw has been released.
The clubs have been given the opportunity to provide their feedback before the final draw comes out.
King said Moree are happy with the format, which will see them host more home games this year.
“We’ll get seven home games this year which is more than we’ve had in the past few years with the two-tier system,” he said.
“At this stage we’re happy to go along with it and work with it.”