The 2025 2nd Division South Coast Monaro Senior Men’s Rugby Competition commenced with an exhilarating local derby at Rotary Oval Cooma on April 5. The Cooma Rugby Union Football Club (CRUFC) Red Devils soared to a high-scoring victory against their Snowy Mountains rivals, the Jindabyne Rugby Union Club (JRUC) Bushpigs, in a showdown that thrilled home supporters.
PHOTO: Hard work has paid off for the CRUFC culminating in the club reaching new heights and recording a dominant win to start season 2025 CREDIT: CRUFC – Lissy Giagios.
The CRUFC women played first in a trial game defeating the Jindabyne women in a thriller, 29-28 and setting the platform for what would be a big day for the club.
PHOTO: The Cooma women set the platform for the men with a thrilling win CREDIT: CRUFC – Lissy Giagios.
In front of decent home crowd, the Red Devils showcased strength and pace, dominating the game with a runaway performance, 47-15. Cooma’s lock, Jake Quodling, proved an unstoppable force, scoring two tries. The team’s efforts were complemented by the contributions of second-rower Devonik Saumalu and winger Hunter Caldwell, each crossing the line for a try, while Captain Damien Roach demonstrated precision, converting six of his seven attempts.
PHOTO: Captain Damien Roach directs his side to a convincing victory CREDIT: CRUFC – Lissy Giagios.
Despite spirited efforts, the Bushpigs struggled to tame the Red Devils, with tries from Jed Frank, Harry Burbury, and Joe Quinlan not enough to stem the flow.
Jindabyne’s assistant coach, Michael Needham, acknowledged a number of new faces in his side, saying, “We will be focusing largely on our defence, but also getting greater numbers and support in attack before round 2. We have a new team this year, and it will take a few games for us to gel.”
PHOTO: Michael “Sauce” Needham, Bushpigs Assistant Coach CREDIT: JRUC
JRUC has undergone a shift in team dynamics with the loss of 18 experienced players from the premiership winning 2024 season. Nonetheless, Coach Liam Seiler’s recruitment efforts have been strong according to Needham.
Red Devils’ Coach, James Quodling, praised the team’s dedication and hard work during the off-season as paramount to their victory. “All the hard work the boys have put in on the off season and preseason training, which started back in November, has definitely helped us achieve these results,” Quodling remarked.
PHOTO: James Quodling.
Quodling attributed the club’s success not only to rigorous fitness and skill development but also to fostering strong team morale and a supportive club culture.
“We have worked hard on our fitness and skills in the lead up to the competition. We focused a lot on commitment, team morale and just building a great club culture and this was definitely evident in the turn out yesterday.”
PHOTO: The Red Devils’ inside centre Michael Oaniu finds himself in space CREDIT: CRUFC – Lissy Giagios.
CRUFC Points from Saturday:
3 points – Devonik Saumalu
2 points – Jake Quodling
1 point – Damien Roach and Hunter Caldwell
Players Player – Jake Quodling
As the competition heats up, the Bushpigs Senior men will head to Bungendore, while the Red Devils men prepare for their round 2 clash in Braidwood on April 12.
Well done Cooma Red Devils Hope your season continues on the winning way 👍👍👋👋