Santos Festival of Rugby: Mac Grealy, Renee Donpon play for Queensland Reds in Roma

Two Roma locals returned to their hometown to run out for the Queensland Reds against the NSW Warratahs as part of the Santos Festival of Rugby. SEE THE PHOTOS.

More than 4500 fans attended the Santos Festival of Rugby at the weekend, where two homegrown heroes played on their home turf.

While the Reds women’s team suffered a disappointing loss, the Reds men’s team prevailed with a 32-7 win over the NSW Warratahs.

Mac Grealy and Renee Donpon both have close ties to the area, with Grealy’s parents hailing from the region and Donpon herself a Roma local.

Both players said they were cheered on by family and friends in the games across the weekend.

“My family is originally from Roma. Mum and dad, cousins and old school mates from Downlands will be among the familiar faces out there,” Grealy said.

Donpon was cheered on by a fanatic crowd, chanting “we want the Don,” before she ran onto the field.

“It was an amazing once-in-a-lifetime feeling,” Donpon said.

“It means heaps to play this first game for Queensland in Roma in front of family and friends. My parents drove 12 hours from Cloncurry just to be here.”

Reds player Ryan Smith said these festivals were important to developing the sport in regional centres.

“Getting back to Roma will be great. In recent years, we’ve very much stressed as a team that we are the Queensland Reds, not the Brisbane Reds,” Smith said.

“Making sure we get out to the regional centres to put on a good show is really important to continue to grow country rugby because we all know the talent out there.”

Santos managing director and chief executive Kevin Gallagher said the event brought a lot of benefit to the region.

“It’s all about connecting community rugby back to communities like Roma,” Mr Gallagher said.

“Along with it come the associated economic and tourism benefits for the town.”

This was the fourth annual Santos Festival of Rugby, and the second time the festival has come to Roma.