Aiming to remain motivated, united and fit, City has emerged as a touch football force, entering seven teams in Wagga Touch Association competitions.

A plan to field a couple of teams was met with such enthusiasm that City has 85 players spread across six mixed teams and a women’s side.

Wagga City Rugby president, Daniel Ribot, said it’s an important way to stay together in the off-season and encourage potential new rugby players.

“There’s often an influx of people during December and January and the club was reasonably dormant in the off-season so it’s not easy to attract people,” Ribot said.

“But this gives us an opportunity for guys or girls who are interested in playing rugby to get to know the club and meet the playing group.”

Ribot hopes it will pay dividends in helping prospective rugby players find their club and said they’ve had three enquiries already. 

Uniting as a virtual touch club rather than seeing their players spread across a mixed bag of teams made sense to City and clearly to their players.

The club has invested money to subsidise costs and with the support of sponsors Kooringal Hotel, Hogs Breath and Kooringal Pharmacy, purchased playing singlets.

After ending up with the wooden spoon following a winless SIRU season, the club is hopeful it’s a step towards around their fortunes.

“It certainly can’t hurt in the collegiality aspect, having a lot of players playing touch together,” Ribot said.

“There’s no getting away from the fact that it was a horrible season last year but we never forfeited a game and we managed to stick together very well. We had 40 or more players cycled through first grade.

“Despite the on-field performance it was still a positive feeling around the club. But we need to go into next year in better shape. We know it’s better for the competition if teams like us and Reddies (who’s only two wins last season were against City) are more competitive and we’ll be looking to improve.”

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