
28 Aug 2026
Daramalan to Eagles: A Pathway to Grand Final Success
This weekend will be a special one for the wider Daramalan Rugby community, with both the Gungahlin Eagles Colts and Women’s Premier 15s taking their place in Grand Finals at Viking Park. The connection between Daramalan Rugby and the Gungahlin Eagles continues to be an important one. For our players, rugby does not finish when they leave school, and it is fantastic to see so many young men and women graduate from the Daramalan Rugby program and continue their rugby journey with the Eagles. The Growth of Women’s Rugby The success of the Eagles Women’s Premier 15s is particularly exciting when you consider just how far the women’s game has come over the past decade. What was once a relatively small pathway for female players has developed into a thriving program providing opportunities for talented athletes to play at increasingly higher levels. Daramalan has been proud to be part of that growth, with our own girls’ rugby program developing significantly and providing a genuine pathway for players beyond school. Daramalan Old Boy Darragh O’Byrne has been instrumental in the success of the Eagles women’s program. His commitment, knowledge and passion, combined with a playing group containing some outstanding rugby talent, has helped establish a program that continues to set a high standard. For our current Daramalan girls, being able to see former students move from school rugby into a successful Premier 15s environment provides a great example of where their own rugby journey can take them. Colts Continue Their Success The Gungahlin Eagles Colts have also earned another opportunity to compete for a premiership. The side is coached by Nick Edwards, father of Archie and Pat, a current and former Daramalan student. Nick’s enthusiasm, dedication and commitment to developing young players has been fantastic to watch from the outside, and securing another Grand Final berth is a great reward for the work he and the entire Colts program have put in throughout the season. Importantly, the Colts provide another strong next step for players graduating from our senior boys program. The Pathway Beyond Daramalan Perhaps the most exciting part of this weekend is seeing the pathway from Daramalan school rugby into senior club rugby working so successfully. Many players from our 2025 1st Girls side, along with graduates from our senior boys program, have moved into the Eagles system and are now experiencing continued success at the next level. That is something worth celebrating. While winning games and premierships is exciting, one of the greatest measures of a school based rugby program is whether players leave wanting to continue playing the game. Seeing our former players remain involved, develop as players and become part of a senior rugby club is an outstanding outcome. It also provides our current players with a visible pathway. They can look at those who wore the black and red before them and see that there are opportunities to continue playing, developing and enjoying rugby well beyond Year 12. We wish everyone at the Gungahlin Eagles the very best for Saturday and encourage the Daramalan community to get down to Viking Park and support both teams. Colts Grand Final – 9:45am Women’s Premier 15s Grand Final – 2:00pm Good luck to all the players, coaches and support staff. We look forward to seeing plenty of familiar faces at Viking Park this weekend.























