Mitch Carter, the Manning River Ratz utility back, who coached the Mid North Coast under 15s girls team, had high praise for 14-year-old Lucy Green and 13-year-old Sienna Limpic, after the team of rugby newcomers distinguished itself by placing third in the high-speed NSW titles.

“We only had two Taree girls in the team, but they were special,” he said.

“Lucy was our captain and our best and fairest player. Sienna was a great defender. She hit like a Mack truck.

“We had 16 in the squad, and more would have joined us. We had to stop the girls enrolling. Most had never played rugby.

“We had only three training runs due to the distance they had to travel, but we drew with Illawarra, beat Far North Coast and Central Coast, and lost to Randwick, who were red hot.

“Overall, we performed outstandingly.”

In fact, the MNC Junior Axemen were exceptional in both the youths and girls games.

The MNC’s 17-year-old youths upset the electrifying and ultimate State champions, the Manly Marlins, in the boilover of the tournament, overcoming them in a qualifying game, 31-10.

“I’m still buzzing,” coach-manager James Lancaster said.

“Our boys tore them to bits.

“Unfortunately, we went to sleep for two minutes in a qualifying game against one of three Invitational teams, which cost us a higher position in the play-offs.”

Ultimately, Lancaster’s MNC Blacks finished third in the 17s tournament behind Manly and an invitational side, the Cavaliers, the Marlins winning the final, 21-17.

The second MNC team, the Whites, beat Illawarra although ultimately finishing 11^th, a player of special interest being a two-metre tall youth of Kenyan extraction, Garang-Garang, who proved quick and constructive and who set up a try with superb ball-handling.

The Waratah Sevens was a learning experience and at times a punishing one for the Lower MNC 13-year-old boys, if coached by the best in Wallamba club’s premiership winners, Lee Sullivan and Jim Wilson.

Wins were hard to come by but Hamish Wilson excelled in scoring his try.

Among the 800 players involved in the three-day carnival there was some marvellous talent for selectors to consider, one observer being Expo Mejia, the NSW 17s head coach, searching for talent for next year’s national championships in Brisbane.

The Polynesian influence on Australian rugby union at the carnival had to be seen to be believed.

More and more players of Islander extraction are emerging at Westfield Sports High (Fairfield) and (Seven) Hills Sports High in Sydney.

The problem as Sam Talata-ina, a Samoan-born rugby coach from the Liverpool Cougars, sees it is for these teenage starlets to bridge the gap to representative level, some lost to rugby league, many others being lost in an adult world.

“There must be a balance found, a culture developed,” he said.

”Polynesians are big and fast and strong and these have to be blended with Australian techniques for a national game to emerge.”

From the evidence of this carnival there is no question Australia has the talent.

They must be found, developed and provided with the financial security to capitalise on their gifts.

Consider the match-winning talents of Burraneer’s strong-tackling Mareva Swann; Parramatta’s Tyrse Lokeni, a 13-year-old centre built like a 17-year-old; and Barker College’s Saskia Bakker and Piper Duck.

And watch the explosive speed of the Manly Marlins’ 17-year-old NSW champions, and ask why we are not winning Tests more regularly.

In coming weeks, there will be development opportunities and rugby introduction at several schools in the district. This is in the lead up to the start the 2019 LMNC junior rugby season in March. Plans are in place to begin a junior competition. 

Games would be played in Forster, Nabiac and Gloucester on Friday nights for six to eight weeks with a ten-a-side format.

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