MORE than 950 rugby enthusiasts converged on the John Dunn Reserve in Kelmscott on Saturday for a junior carnival and to help promote the sport to the broader community.
Teams from Mandurah, Rockingham, Kwinana, Southern Lions and Palmyra took part in the event organised by the Arks club, with junior competitions for youngsters aged six to 15, followed by the senior grades and ladies games.
The carnival started at 8am with games played on eight fields.
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READ NOWThe youngsters enjoyed playing in the mud but the parents would have liked a little less rain.
The Under-6s to Under-10s teams did not keep score but they had lots of fun with some great talent coming through the ranks.
The Under-11s to Under-15s all had wins, making the most of the home ground advantage
Arks were again short of players in both senior grades, with scarcely enough players for one team plus reserves.
A number of injuries sustained during the last two games plus players unavailable due to work and FIFO commitments reached crisis point against a Southern Lions Club featuring full-strength sides and some Arks players from last year.
Both teams lost with B Grade going down 7-34 and A Grade smashed 3-76.
The women played a competitive game against Cottesloe with ARKS eventually losing by the narrowest margin, 20-21.