SELECTORS will this week finalise southern teams to meet northern in the Mid North Coast representative rugby union games to be played at Stuart Park, Port Macquarie, on Saturday, May 11.
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First grade men and women's teams will be involved.
Dave Rees from the Manning Ratz will coach the men while Chris Marchment from Gloucester will have charge of the women. Marchment coached Gloucester to the Lower North Coast women's 10s premiership last season.
While both Mid North Coast women's competitions are 10s, the May 11 match will be the traditional 15-a-side.
Manning Ratz and Gloucester would be expected to dominated the Lower North Coast women's side.
Zone president Steve Rees said the games were originally to be played at Coffs Harbour however, they were switched to Port as the Coffs stadium was unavailable.
The intra-zone fixtures have been resurrected this year.
"I don't think they've been played since about 2005 or 2006,'' Mr Rees said.
The games will be used as a guide for the Mid North Coast teams to play in Country Championships. While the Upper Mid North Coast competition, which takes in clubs from Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour, is acknowledged as stronger, Mr Rees is confident both the southern sides will both be competitive.
He added that all players would have to gain a dispensation to make themselves unavailable for the matches, or risk suspension. Mr Rees said next year's fixtures would be played in the Lower North Coast.