RUGBY UNION
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EMUS aren't known to be pack hunters, but the Orange side did just that at Endeavour Oval on Saturday, ambushing Parkes in a 60-10 Blowes Clothing Cup victory.
Played in boggy conditions, Emus second-rower Nick Hughes-Clapp and winger Carter Hirini both grabbed doubles as the men in green ran in 10 tries to one in the 50-point thrashing.
The victory was Emus' third on the bounce and avenged the side's 19-18 upset loss to the Boars in round three's corresponding fixture at Northparkes Oval.
"The boys weren't very happy after that game," Emus prop Steve Fergus, one of his side's best in the win, said.
"There wasn't anything said about it this week but I think there is a certain bit of revenge there. I think the boys really wanted to come out and turn one on [on Saturday] and get one back for that loss."
With several players unavailable, and almost half a dozen backing up from second grade, Parkes was severely understrength - and it showed.
VIDEO: What Steve Fergus and Trevor Whitaker had to say after the game:
The hosts scored four tries in the opening exchanges - through Hirini, Hughes-Clapp, centre Simon Badgery and fullback Isaac White - to lead 24-3 lead after just 15 minutes, with Parkes five-eighth Warren Lowe slotting a penalty goal as well.
Hughes-Clapp grabbed his second not long after, before Emus centre and skipper Nigel Staniforth finished off a breathtaking piece of unbridled attacking play to score.
Starting with replacement half Seb Backhouse, who came on after Toby Cunynghame's eyelid was split after copping a stray boot, on his own 40 metre line, the pill went through six different sets of hands before a diving Staniforth latched onto the final pass from hooker Keith Howarth to score.
He converted as well, giving his side a 36-3 lead at the break.
Parkes rallied in the second stanza, for a short period anyway, camping in the hosts' half for the opening exchanges.
The pressure paid off when winger Marika Koroivui scored in the 47th minute, but from there Emus won ascendancy again and never relinquished it.
Flanker Andrew Cosgrove went over, as did five-eighth Adam Perri, before prop Nas Havealeta was yellow-carded for a swinging arm.
Parkes didn't use the one-man advantage though, instead Emus' other winger Tom Green grabbed a try of his own.
In the dying stages of the clash, the game turned hostile, with the two sides coming together in scuffles several times.
It eventually led to Parkes halfback James Dean being sent to the bin for, bewilderingly, throwing the ball at Emus' coaching staff on the sideline.
Hirini found space thanks to the Boars being one man down, crossing for his second on full-time.
"We came out last week against CSU (Bathurst) and the first 10 minutes we weren't really on our game," Fergus said.
"We wanted to focus on that this week and I think it really got us off to a good start. We were off our line, aggressive from the start and made a big difference. It got us in front early."
"We're coming together well, we're starting to string some plays together. We've seen it since that (Bathurst) Bulldogs game, we've started to hit our straps.
"We probably pushed the pass maybe a little bit today ... but I think it's good signs for the second half of the season."
Parkes coach Trevor Whitaker was blunt in his assessment of the loss, but credited Emus, labelling the Orange team "a complete side".
"When no one wants to travel it's hard," he said.
"It's disappointing. We knew it would tough coming here ... and we just weren't up to it."
ORANGE EMUS 60 (Nick Hughes-Clapp 2, Carter Hirini 2, Andrew Cosgrove, Tom Green, Adam Perri, Simon Badgery, Nigel Staniforth, Isaac White tries; Staniforth 5 conversions) def PARKES BOARS 10 (Marika Koroivui try; Warren Lowe conversion, pen goal)