THEY came up just short of a victory to start their NSW Combined High Schools Boys Rugby Championships campaign but several Western players stood tall in the opening round game at Ashwood Park.
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Dubbo's Lachlan Hollingworth and Kelso's Zaric Saban caught the eye of Western stand-in coach Dave Conyers in their 34-24 defeat to North West in Wednesday's opening round clash.
The number 8 and outside centre, respectively, played a big part in helping Western get out to a 21-10 lead.
Sadly for the home side North West regained the lead with a penalty try inside the last three minutes before the visitors scored right on the bell to sweeten their comeback victory.
![Jayden Morton scores for Western in their opening game. Picture by James Arrow. Jayden Morton scores for Western in their opening game. Picture by James Arrow.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YpbCWLfGAstDHC22gJwdbm/662a7724-491b-4eb1-89d7-5dbaec66d0a5.jpg/r0_0_5472_3089_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It was still an encouraging performance from the boys in green and red, and Conyers said the work rate from his team against a tough North West side was admirable.
"I thought our scrum held up really well. They didn't shove us around. They just took their couple of chances when they had them," he said.
"There's a lot of promise there. If they can get the defence sorted out then they'll be doing alright."
Making metres and catching people's attention
The lead changed hands four times during the entertaining game at Bathurst.
The match was only two halves of 20 minutes each but some Western players didn't need a long time at all to start showcasing their skills.
"I was really impressed with the number 8 [Hollingworth]. I thought his work rate was great and he penetrated everywhere," Conyers said.
"Both the centres [Saban and Orange's Angus Thompson] had really good games and great penetration as well.
"I think the eight and the 13 [Saban] both have rep rugby written all over them and I'm sure the selectors will be taking a good hard look at them."
Western's edges began to look brittle as the game wore on, eventually leading to Far West's pair of match-winning tries on both sides of the field.
Conyers said there's still a good blueprint for his team to work from.
"Every time we went wide we scored but the problem was that we only did it two or three times all game," he said.
"We went away from the game plan a bit and tried to play through the middle where North West were stronger.
"Those last two tries they scored we had tight forwards hanging out on the wing and they just ran around us. We just didn't match their speed, that was our biggest problem."