A 24-10 bonus point victory over University of Queensland Gatton last Saturday saw the Rangers Barber Cup side claim the 2010 Minor Premiership, for the first time in…. well none seems to remember!

Rangers secured 1st grade Premierships in 2005 and 2006, however both of these were achieved without finishing in first place after the home and away season.

So despite consultation with a number of the Club’s stalwarts, none seems to be able to pinpoint when, exactly, the last time was that Rangers secured the Barber Cup Minor Premiership.

Not that the past matters now, as Rangers travel to fellow high flyers Wynnum home ground this Saturday to contest the Major Semi-Final and the chance for a well earned week off.

Rangers and Wynnum have been the standouts in this year’s Barber Cup competition, both teams finishing with an 11-3 win/loss record. Rangers secured the Minor Premiership courtesy of superior bonus points.

However, in a strange twist of fate a scheduling clash means that Ballymore – the traditional venue for Semi Final and Finals rugby, is unavailable for not only this weekend (Major / Minor Semi Finals) but also next weekend (Preliminary Finals).

The Queensland Suburban Rugby Union awarded Wynnum the rights to host this weekend’s Semi Finals, and Rangers the rights to host the following weekend’s Preliminary Finals.

Unfortunately Rangers weren’t in the reckoning to host this weekend’s Semi Finals as one of the key pre-requisates was the requirement to have three fields. An issue that the committee is keen to address in the future.

Not that it’s an issue for the Barber Cup boys.

“It will only make a difference if we let it” was Rangers Head Coach Michael McLean’s blunt assessment of the situation.

“The side is peaking at the right time of the year, and our combinations and fitness are exactly where they should be for this time of the year" McLean continued.

McLean also paid tribute to the wide variety of people who have contributed to the sides Minor Premiership success.

“It’s been a great effort from the whole squad.

“From the 15 that get selected each week, to the Pegg Cup boys who sit on the bench, the coaching and management staff and the Club committee who have been very supportive”.

The two combatants have locked horns twice already this year with the ledger even. Wynnum won the Round 5 meeting 20-13, with Rangers returning the favor in Round 12 with a 22-14 victory.

An ‘adults only’ Rangers supporters bus will leave the Coronation Hotel, Ipswich at 12pm this Saturday. $20 will get you a seat on the bus, and ‘refreshments’ for the trip home. Any person interested in getting a seat on the bus should contact Damian Roche on 0430 724 226.

The Rangers team to play Wynnum in this Saturday's Major Semi-Final is:

1.  Andrew Devantier
2.  Zan Branford
3.  Rob Beattie
4.  Alex McLean
5.  Silas Cocks
6.  Joe Creedy
7.  Maioha Gregory
8.  Charlie Scott
9.  Daniel Trevorrow
10.  Stewart Banks
11.  James Dwyer
12.  Cade Hill
13.  Thomas Dwyer
14.  Miller Lemalu
15.  Nick Horrigan

Reserves:
16.  Stewart Cameron
17.  Andy Daintith
18.  Daniel Fitzpatrick
19.  Terry Kita
20.  James McKnight
21.  Ben O'Connell
22.  Simon Patterson

Go the Rangers!

The Rangers Barber Cup side will be chasing a bonus point victory in this Saturday’s clash with UQ Gatton at Woodend Park, to secure the Minor Premiership.

Their final home game of the year, also marks the end of the ‘home and away’ season, and a bonus point win for the Rangers over their western neighbours, who they defeated 29-7 in their only other clash this season, will see the Ipswich club finish the regular season on top of the table.

Going into this weekend, the Rangers side (48pts) sits one point clear of rivals Wynnum (47pts).

“We’ve been building nicely, especially throughout the second half of this season, and a Minor Premiership would be a great reward for all of the hard work” commented Head Coach Michael McLean.

“The job’s not done yet though, and my expectation is that the boys will be just as committed to this weekend’s result as they have been over recent weeks” McLean continued.

Eight wins, from their last eight starts has the Rangers Barber Cup side peaking at exactly the right time of the year.

Such has been the dominance of the Rangers and Wynnum sides in this year’s Barber Cup competition that, irrespective of this weekend’s results, these two sides will square off against one another the following weekend in the ‘Major Semi-Final’, being hosted by Wynnum.

All three senior Rangers sides are playing at home (Woodend Park) this Saturday, as follows:

12.00pm, Scotney Cup: Rangers v GPS
1.30pm, Pegg Cup: Rangers v UQ Gatton
3.00pm, Barber Cup: Rangers v UQ Gatton

In other great news for the Ipswich Rangers Club, a scheduling clash means that the Queensland Rugby Union’s Suburban Preliminary Finals, originally scheduled for Ballymore, will now be played at Woodend Park, Ipswich on Saturday 7th August.

“This is a great result, for rugby union moving forward in the Ipswich area” commented Rangers President Damian Roche.

Rangers U8’s White players Macauley Rapmund (front left) and George Rowcliffe (front right) took the opportunity to attend the QANTAS Wallabies open training session at Ballymore on Monday 19th July and catch up with some mates.

It was a great opportunity to see the whole Wallaby machine in action, with plenty of prizes, activities and give-aways available, as well as the opportunity to meet and get ‘a prized signature’ from some Wallaby stars.

George and Macauley took the opportunity to give Rocky some helpful tips regarding the need to lift his ‘aggression at the break-down’ and what will be required this Saturday if the Wallabies are to get over the line against the Springboks at Suncorp Stadium.

All in all a very worthwhile experience, especially according to George and Mac because “they got to get out of school early”…