Former Newcastle Rugby League players Luke Higgins and Jacob Afflick are celebrating premiership success after winning France's Elite 2 competition at the weekend.
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Higgins, who was with Macquarie last season, and Afflick, at South Newcastle, were part of the Villefranche XIII Aveyron side that defeated Villegailhenc-Aragon XIII in the Elite 2 grand final.
The 37-14 victory capped off an undefeated season for the 'Les Loups' - aka the Wolves. It was the first time in the club's 74-year history that they won every game.
The win avenged a loss in last year's grand final, and earns the club promotion to the French first division.
Higgins' parents, Craig and Kathleen, were in attendance at the grand final. Their long-planned trip will result in them missing daughter Olivia's NSW debut next week in Brisbane.
"Mum and dad are still overseas and won't be back for the first Origin game .. they will be back for game two, so I've got to make it," Olivia, who has been named to start for NSW, told us.
The second women's Origin game is in Newcastle on Thursday, June 6.
Higgins and Afflick will spend the next couple of months travelling.
Game no longer under lights
Central's planned night fixture on Saturday has been shifted to Sunday afternoon.
St John Oval was set for a lighting upgrade last weekend but it couldn't proceed due to the rain.
The Butcher Boys host competition leaders Cessnock in a game that was set for 7.30pm as part of a new club initiative to play under lights, but is now at 3pm, Sunday.
Given the rain predicted, multiple matches could be in doubt this round, particularly Wests' clash with Northern at Harker Oval.
No-ban round
Six players were handed warnings, including the Hawks' Randall Briggs who received two, after taking early guilty pleas for grade-one charges out of round four.
ROUND 5: Wests v Northern, Harker Oval; Maitland v Lakes, Maitland Sportsground; Wyong v Souths, Morry Breen Oval (all Saturday 3pm); Central v Cessnock, St John Oval, The Entrance v Kurri Kurri, EDSACC Oval North (Sunday, 3pm).