The grand final replay between last year’s rugby union premiers , the Wallamba Bulls, and the Lower Mid North Coast champions of the previous four winters, the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins, will highlight the clash of two outstanding centres at Tuncurry’s Peter Barclay Field on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bulls’ strapping midfielder, James Handford, captured the attention of the MNC Axemen’s coach, Angus Anderson, to the point he included him in the zone representative team involved in this year’s NSW Country championships in Warren.
Opposing Handford tomorrow is the Dolphins’ slick, strong-tackling inside-centre, Mark Hagarty, the most under-rated back in the premiership.
Like the Dolphins’ gifted five-eighth, Matt Nuku, it has not been for want of interest by coach Anderson that Hagarty has never represented the zone and appeared with the Axemen.
It has been a major frustration of Anderson’s two seasons as Axemen’s coach that splendid players such as Hagarty and Nuku have never made themselves available for representation.
On the last occasion the two teams met, the Bulls prevailed 24-22, both sides running in four tries. In a difficult wind, the last of two conversions by the Bulls’ fullback, Stephen “Shorty” Curnow, gained Wallamba the victory in a fabulous game.
Since then, the Bulls have been overcome by the Old Bar Clams in the biggest boilover in the 11-season history of the zone’s divided competitions, 27-26.
Wallamba’s 25-3 bonus point-win last weekend against Manning River stemmed from the speed and penetration of their backs after a willing forward battle
The Dolphins prepared for tomorrow’s encounter by eclipsing the tough Gloucester Cockies combination in Gloucester, seven tries to two and 45-17, success coming from the Dolphins’ forwards scrummaging aggressively against a pack which gave the Bulls’ pack a torrid time in their two encounters in Gloucester.
His Axeman’s representative career may be behind him, but the Dolphins’ veteran 200-game tight-head prop, Ben Manning, is still a powerhouse in the scrum and a bruising close-range runner. His probable loose-head rival, Christiaan Pheiffer, fittess permitting, is one of the finest props in the zone.
The forward battle and the pack which wins the greater possession in lineout, scrum and breakdown for their backs will win the game, but as shown in last winter’s 15-14 grand final victory by the Bulls, there is little between two excellent teams.
Fullback-cum-centre Chris Tout had an outstanding game with the premiership at stake, when it mattered most for the Bulls, and will undoubtedly be a force again tomorrow.
Axemen’s coach Anderson witnessed the clubs’ duel at Nabiac and was effusive in praise about the Bulls’ forward, Saul Clough, saying “he made an impression every time he touched the ball,” yet another he would like in his squad next year for the N.S.W. Country carnival.
Three weeks after their defeat of Wallamba, the Old Bar Clams return to action against the Gloucester Cockies at Richard Crook Field tomorrow. Coach Tim Tout and the Clams must be at their wits end for more rugby. Manning River have the bye.
After nine rounds the men’s premiership lead is shared on 32 points by the Bulls and Dolphins with Gloucester topping the women’s competition on 29 points and Wallamba on 28 points.
