Cowra Eagles talent Rhys Hughes has taken another big step in his rugby journey, earning the role of Vice Captain for the NSW Country Colts at the 2025 Australian Rugby Shield competition.
The tournament, staged at Newcastle’s sportsgrounds in early October, brought together some young rugby talent from across NSW and Queensland, with Hughes right at the heart of it.
The NSW Country Colts were the standout team of the competition, going undefeated across their two matches to claim the top spot on the ladder.
Their strong performances saw them finish with eight competition points, clear of NSW Suburban Colts on four and Queensland Country Rugby Union Colts on two.
The Colts’ weekend began on Saturday, October 4, with a confident 25-10 win over NSW Suburban Colts.
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Less than 24 hours later, they backed it up with a gutsy 20-15 victory over Queensland Country Rugby Union Colts, sealing their undefeated run and confirming themselves as the best side in the tournament.
In their opening match, NSW Country Colts showed their intent early.
Tries from Owen Bell in the 24th minute, Malakai Folau in the 29th minute, and Jack McHugh in the 54th minute set the tone, with fly half Zane Wisbey reliable off the boot, slotting two conversions and two penalty goals.
The Suburban Colts struck back through Liam Taggart, who managed a double inside the opening 10 minutes, but they struggled to find momentum after that.
A 52nd minute penalty to Wisbey kept Country ahead comfortably, and the match ended 25-10 in Country’s favour.
Day two presented a tougher challenge against Queensland Country, who pushed hard throughout the game.
NSW Country struck first through captain Cody Clarke in the 4th minute, followed by a try to Harrison Brennan in the 44th.
Queensland responded with tries to William Steer and Tyler Stevens, keeping the scoreline tight.
The decisive moment came in the 69th minute when Angus Newport crossed the line and Wisbey added the extras to give Country a vital cushion.
Queensland added points late, but it wasn’t enough to stop the NSW Colts from holding strong to claim a 20-15 win.
Vice-Captain Rhys Hughes, representing his hometown Cowra Eagles, was instrumental across the weekend as he wore the number 9 jersey at halfback.
The undefeated run not only secured NSW Country the top position but also highlighted the depth of rugby talent in country regions, with Hughes playing a role in that success.
