AUSTRALIA’S premier domestic rugby tournament is headed to Bathurst this year with confirmation that the city will be hosting a round of the National Rugby Championship.

A home match for the NSW Country Eagles will be staged at Ashwood Park on October 19 against the North Harbour Rays.

The match is not only a big occasion for the Bathurst rugby community, but has the added importance of being the Eagles’ last game of the regular National Rugby Championship [NRC] season.

About to kick-off its second year, the NRC has become a breeding ground for potential Super Rugby players as well as involving those who have already experienced the world’s leading provincial rugby competition, such as Saint Stanislaus’ College graduate and now Queensland Red Beau Robinson. He played five games for Queensland Country last season.

Bathurst Bulldogs president John Maynard, whose club will host the match, said the city can expect an exciting brand of rugby.

“It’s good that we’ve got this high profile game. The NRC is a wonderful innovation. We really needed this level of rugby, because it’s too big a jump from club rugby to Super Rugby,” he said.

“This is a good for everyone to see that next level of representative rugby. You don’t get to see that standard out here every day. 

“It’s also a great promotion for Bathurst and the facilities that we have here.

“It’s in the middle of the World Cup, so I hope it gets supported well ... and it might help drum up interest.”

Orange and Dubbo hosted rounds of the competition in its debut year, with Bathurst the next Central West city to act as host for the Eagles.

The Eagles made a great account of themselves in their debut season, as they placed second on the table for the regular rounds and fell just a match shy of the grand final.

They will be out to better the Rays once again as last season the Eagles won their round three clash 33-21 in Sydney.

One of the men overseeing the Eagles’ upcoming season is the side’s general manager James Grant.

James, a former Stannies student, said his side enjoys playing at Central West venues.

“A lot of our boys have country origins, but the good thing about them coming out to these areas is how they’re able to get involved with the community and just have some drinks at the pub,” he said.

“We sent out expressions of interest earlier in the year.

“CSU, our sponsor, were obviously keen to get on board with the Bathurst game. We approached John at the Bulldogs and Bathurst [Regional] Council about it ... and we had a meeting about two weeks ago to confirm it and put the plans in place to have the ground ready.”

Grant said the match at Bathurst is the perfect opportunity to discuss the team’s goals.

“I’d like to eventually see around one third of our team playing for country clubs, such as Bathurst Bulldogs and CSU. That’s something we’re trying to develop,” he said.

“It’s really nice to have that relationship with clubs like Bulldogs. 

“They might have kids in 17s or 18s and they’ll tell us to watch this kid because he’s got potential. We can help out with training and developing him.”