2002 to 2005 was a time of expansion into school-based under 12s competition. Emerald Junior Rugby now included St Patrick’s Primary School, Emerald State School and Emerald North State School.

Walla Rugby and Junior Rugby continued to grow. Denison State School joined in 2005 and under 10s competition took place. 

From 2005 to 2009 the Primary School Competition included Springsure and Blackwater State Schools. Walla Rugby had had its day, to be replaced by Mini Rugby for the under 7s and Mod Rugby for the under 9s.

The quality of the Central Highlands Juniors team was recognised, and they were selected to compete in the under 14 and under 16 Rockhampton and Districts competition.

Numbers were increasing and it was time for a move. The competition farewelled the Rams Rugby Field and moved to new facilities at the Agriculture College.

There was a name change too. Emerald Junior Rugby was incorporated and became Central Highlands Junior Rugby Union Inc in recognition of our Club’s reach across the region.

By 2010 both Mini and Mod Rugby had under 8s playing. The Primary School Competition included under 10s and under 12s and the Moranbah under 14s had joined in. There was now a Central Highlands Junior under 14s competition and the under 16s travelled to Rockhampton to compete.

2011 saw us host the Country Muster for the first time. Our Primary Schools Competition continued to include the under 10s and under 12s, while both the under 14s and under 16s travelled to Rockhampton.

We hosted the Country Muster again in 2012, while the Primary Competition continued in the under 10 and under 12 age groups. The excellent under 12 Central Highlands side played Rockhampton and was undefeated – as they have been for many years since.

Meanwhile, the under 13s and under 15s now travelled to Rockhampton to compete.

2013 to 2015 saw our under 10 and under 13 Cluster Rugby teams travel to a new Central Highlands location every three weeks, allowing players to take part no matter where they lived.

2015 was a big year, with the establishment of the Nogoa Red Claws under 11, under 13 and under 15 teams. In 2016, the Nogoa Red Claws under 12s played matches before Senior Club home games. In this year also, the Nogoa Red Claws under 13s and under 15s travelled to Rockhampton to compete.

2015 was also the year that saw the start of the teen girls’ team - the CH Titans - under the leadership of Shavarn O’Sullivan (Morgan) and Karl Marr. An under 15 girls’ team of nine travelled to Mackay and played the local team, as curtain raisers to the Australia-Japan games, which took place over three days. The team then chased games and numbered 15 girls by year’s end.

From 2016 to 2020, the CH Titans fielded under 15s and under 17s. They continued to grow each year, playing in Seven’s carnivals and other locations such as Rockhampton, Hughenden, Mackay and the Sunshine Coast.

In 2017, the Rugby Ready Program for under 8s and under 10s began.

The under 12s and under 14s travelled to Rockhampton, as well as Mackay, where they played in the Nyrie Contor Cup against Mackay and Whitsunday teams.

The Rugby Ready program continued in 2018, along with the under 13 and under 15 age groups travelling to Rockhampton.

2018 was also the year we hosted Mackay and Whitsunday for the Nogoa Cup, which is now an annual event.

The under 14s and under 16s Nogoa Red Claws teen boys travelled to Rockhampton for the Capricornia competition during 2019.

2019 was the year the CHJRU introduced the local Winter Competition for boys and girls, led by Jason Kachel, Doug Sands, Baden Crittle and Kurt Mayne, along with many others. The Nogoa Red Claws and Rolleston Joeys under 10 and under 12 mixed competitions took place over 8 weeks travelling between the two locations.

The under 14s and under 16s Nogoa Red Claws competed in the Capricornia Competition, travelling to Rockhampton, Gladstone, Yeppoon and Biloela in 2020. For the first time, the U14 and U16s won both premierships, the Wayne Banks Trophy and James Nasser Trophy.

The Central Highlands Junior Rugby Competition added an under 8 Competition where we had a tremendous uptake of boys and girls, as well as welcoming under 8s and the Blackwater Basilisk Juniors who entered under 8, under 10 and under 12 teams in 2020. The inaugural under 12 Grand Final was won by Nogoa Black Claws in a tight game against the Blackwater Basilisks.

2020 was a fantastic year for the CH Titans teen girls with the launch of the Extreme Excavator Cup – initiated under the leadership of Chloe Butler – which provided regular fortnightly games in Mackay with Whitsunday, Mackay and Rockhampton in seven, ten and 15-a-side matches. Teams expanded to under 13, under 15 and under 17 sides, with all sides’ being premiership winners, undefeated, in the Grand Finals. The under 15s scored a whopping 820 points for and only had 5 points against, which must be some sort of record!

And in 2020, the CHJRU were recognised as Australia’s fastest growing rugby community!

This achievement is testimony to the hard work and dedication of our many supporters.

They give their all to our club so that young people in our region have the opportunity to play our game.