Young Rats become Emus for all the right reasons

WARRINGAH Rats and Penrith Emus Colts players linked arms for a prayer of thanks after an extraordinary game on the weekend.

Warringah Colts Nick Condon playing for Penrith tackled by Rats teammate Conor Milham. Picture: Watson Karen

WARRINGAH Rats and Penrith Emus Colts players linked arms for a prayer of thanks after an extraordinary game on the weekend.

It was a match where the result will quickly disappear from memory but the spirit displayed will not be forgotten.

Penrith arrived at Pittwater Rugby Park with 18 players for two grades with a number of their squad having rugby league commitments.

After going down to Warringah 35-19 in second grade, the gusty Penrith players backed up immediately to play first grade.

When they started getting injuries early on, something very special happened.

The Warringah reserves went over, pulled on Penrith jumpers and played for the opposition so they would not have to forfeit.

In the end, five players in Warringah shorts and socks were running around in Penrith jumpers against their mates.

“Our first grade coach Mark Fargus said in the spirit of rugby, let’s help out a club who are battling,” Rats second grade coach Murray Pitts said.

Penrith coach Fila Tauangakava was moved by the selfless gesture of the Warringah players.

“All of a sudden five Warringah players came over and offered to give us a hand,” he said. “I have never seen anything like it before in Sydney club rugby, there was plenty of good sportsmanship ,even afterwards.”

Rats second-rower Nick Condon, who wore the Emus jumper, paid the price of sportsmanship and fractured his ankle. But he had no regrets.

“I was happy to play and volunteered to do it,” Condon said.

The bond that grew between the two rival teams was demonstrated when they knelt down, linked arms and said a prayer led by Penrith captain David Sopo.

Warringah ended up winning 71-0, but all agreed the score was irrelevant.

Tauangakava had a simple message for Warringah.

“If they show that sort of attitude they will be successful in whatever they choose to do,” he said.