Dalby, Goondiwindi to settle old rivalry
RUGBY UNION: The next chapter in Dalby and Goondiwindi’s fierce rugby rivalry will be played out on Saturday when this year’s champion team will be decided at Clive Berghofer Stadium.
The Wheatmen and Emus meet in the Wagners Risdon Cup grand final for a third successive season on a gala day of finals’ rugby.
The day is dominated by country clubs who face off in all three grades.
Dalby knocked out the final city-based team last Saturday when they eliminated Toowoomba Rangers from the Risdon Cup race with a come-from-behind 33-21 win at John Ritter Oval.
The win set up a third successive grand final meeting between the Wheatmen and Emus with Dalby claiming premiership honours in both 2016 and 2017.
Goondiwindi underpinned its 2018 Risdon Cup favouritism with a clear minor premiership victory capping the Emus undefeated season.
But Dalby breathed new life into the title race two weeks’ ago when it pushed Goondiwindi to the brink in their Riddles Oval semi-final match before going down 14-13.
Minor premiers Goondiwindi and Dalby also meet in Saturday’s B grade grand final.
The Wheatmen will start a mammoth day for the Dalby club and their supporters when they meet the Chinchilla River Rats in the Cgrade decider.
■ THE inaugural Emilee Cherry Cup grand final features on Saturday’s program with Toowoomba Bears to meet the winner of the USQ and Condamine preliminary final for the women’s sevens’ premiership.