IT was a perishing minus six degrees in the Bucketts Ranges and Barrington Tops last week, but the coastal Dolphins of the Forster-Tuncurry Rugby Union club relished the warmth with Gloucester township at her most glorious at Gloucester Park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With a visiting Blue Mountains cricket club engaged in the summer game next door against the local Avon Valley XI, players ranging from 50-plus to five years old, picnicking beneath the trees, and the rocky Bucketts towering behind, keeping score in the rugby 100 metres away seemed irrelevant.
The overnight disaster of Nice in France put everything into perspective. Australia never looked finer.
Ultimately, when the final whistle blew, the Dolphins remained unbeaten, seven tries to one and 49-7, continuing on a 12-game winning streak, but it was no joy-ride against the Gloucester Cockies.
The Wallamba Bulls withstood a late Manning River Ratz onslaught to finish 37-27 winners to retain second position while the Myall Coast Mud Crabs outsped the Old Bar Clams at Myall Park, 64-0. Three rounds remain before the semi-finals.
Grand finalists last season, the local Cockies proved tough rugby rivals for the Dolphins, bruising up front through front rowers Mitch Meredith, Mick Wooster and Andy Pollock, and skilful out wide through inside backs, Andy Paynter, Ryan Yates and Tony Nicholson.
But Matt Nuku ran a smart outfit, Scott Walmsley operating a strong scrum, lineout man Jack Woods cutting even with Lukas Dellsperger, and man-of-the-match Tom Homer leading the charge into the breakdown carnage.
But it was the heavy industry in close of big timber merchant, lock Nigel Pereira, and the low-range body height of Walmsley which took the wind out of the Cockies, paving the way for Nuku’s backs to penetrate through the speed of Mark Hagarty, Zac Palmer, Jack Nicholson and Conrad Delforce.
At fullback, the Dolphins have been fortunate this year to obtain a special player with as much experience and vision as former Sydney-sider, Mark Colless.
The Cockies never threw in the towel. Behind a big scrum in the 57th minute, they drove over the line for the try they richly deserved through lock Jeremy Kelly.
This year, the Cockies have been beset by player employment difficulties and injuries. Even for this game the Cockies were without their captain Chris Marchant and coach Steve Parkin, both interstate, leaving president Stuart Paynter and team manager Mark Finnane to run the show.
But a finer winter’s afternoon there could not have been and credit to the Gloucester Cockies for providing such vigorous enjoyment. The day was topped off with celebrations at the Roundabout Hotel for the 18th birthday of rising Dolphins lock, Lachlan Daczko.
Forster-Tuncurry 49 (M Nuku 2 T Harris L Brady M Hagarty M Colless J Nicholson tries; L Crosier 4 goals 2 pen goals) beat Gloucester 7 (J Kelly try; M Wooster goal); Wallamba 37 beat Manning River 27; Myall Coastr 64 beat Old Bar 0.
Next Saturday: FORSTER-TUNCURRY v MYALL COAST at Tuncurry; WALLAMBA v GLOUCESTER at Nabiac; OLD BAR v MANNING RIVER at Trad Field, Old Bar.