THERE was no repetition of the Forster-Tuncurry Dolphins’ close shave against the Wallamba Bulls as they ploughed ahead in extending their unbeaten rugby union sequence to 11 games against the Old Bar Clams at Trad Sporting Complex.
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Despite a restructured team due to an unusually high mid-season injury toll, the Dolphins ran in 10 tries to the ever-brave Clams’ single try in winning, 60-5, in the Lower Mid North Coast competition game in still, warm winter conditions at Old Bar.
Any follower who believed that the winless Clams would be soft touches should have visited the Dolphins’ post-match dressing rooms as bruises were counted after the willing affair.
Elsewhere, the Manning River Ratz began flexing muscles with a morale-boosting 69-14 win over the Gloucester Cockies, bolstering their third position on the table at Taree Rugby Park, while the travel-shy Myall Coast Mud Crabs slumped, 52-3, against the second-placed Wallamba Bulls at Nabiac.
There was no argument with the observation of Clams captain Teia Ambrosoli and co-coach Brentt Hodge that were their players as diligent in training as required, their stamina would be doubly improved y and their ugly score-lines reduced by half.
The Dolphins could count themselves fortunate to have three regular pillars in their front row in Ben Manning, Scott Walmsley and Lee Crozier to counter the scrummaging strength of the Clams’ excellent trio of Brad Lewis, Ambrosoli and Taylor Shaw.
Behind the scrum and with Jack Woods’ lineout dominant, the Dolphins had their halfback combination of Liam Brady and Matt Nuku in splendidly creative frame of mind, sparking back line movements with fullback Jack Nicholson displaying tremendous pace and step for five tries.
While the Clams had the manpower to compete up front, they lacked penetration out wide and a resourceful five-eighth able to turn the opposition with a positional kick. Dearly they wanted the brilliant Brentt Hodge with his bursts in midfield.
The Dolphins had No 8 Chris Simon and hefty lock Nigel Pereira employed in the early heavy duty work in softening the Clams’ pack, but a good half-hour passed before the competition leaders ran in their third try.
In the backs, the tyro utility Zac Palmer produced a polished midfield performance outside the stylish Mark Hagarty to delight acting coaches Mark Hudson and Jonathan Paff with a view to the play-offs in August.
At Nabiac, the Wallamba Bulls out-muscled the Myall Coast with skipper and prop Aaron Gordon enjoying one of his finest games of the season with outside-centre Tom Jenkins and replacement fullback Jamieson Lambourne others to perform well.
The Bulls travel to Taree Rugby Park next Saturday to meet the Manning River Ratz in a game which could have an important bearing on the positions of the two clubs in the premiership play-offs.
Forster-Tuncurry 60 (J Nicholson 5 tries, C Simon, L Brady, J Rosskelly, M Hagarty, Z Palmer tries; L Crozier 3 M Nuku goals 2) beat Old Bar 5 (J Lawson try); Wallamba 52 beat Myall Coast 3; Manning River 69 beat Gloucester 14.
Next Saturday’s 12th round draw: Gloucester v Forster-Tuncurry at Gloucester; Myall Coast v Old Bar at Hawks Nest; Manning River v Wallamba at Taree Rugby Park.