LOWER North Coast rugby union players should figure prominently in Mid North Coast rugby teams to play in the Country Championships in Tamworth next month.
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This follows the north/south trials for the men's and women's sides played at Grafton. The MNC Zone teams will be named this week for the trip to Tamworth on the June long weekend.
Northern, which takes in clubs from Port Macquarie to Grafton, won both matches, however, they were hard fought affairs played in wet conditions. Northern women won 12-0 and the men 33-21.
"I would say half a dozen players from the southern men's and women's sides put their hands up to be selected in the Mid North Coast team,'' MNC Zone president Steve Rees said.
"Both southern teams played essentially the Mid North Coast representative squads from the past two years, so it was a great effort from them.''
This was the first time in 20 years the men's trial has been played and a first for the women.
Positive feedback
"The feedback we've received from players has all been positive,'' Rees said.
"Everyone agreed this will be for the betterment of Mid North Coast rugby.
"The games will definitely be on again next year and they'll be played at a southern venue.''
He said the north scored in the opening minutes of the women's fixture and then again just before fulltime.
"Both tries were out wide,'' Rees said.
"The obvious thing was that our players just haven't had much of an opportunity to play 15s, so the awareness and understanding of a full defensive line wasn't there.''
The women's match was 15-a-side. The LNC women's comp is 10-a-side, as is the northern.
Gloucester's Charlotte Maslin was named player of the match after a commanding performance at halfback.
"Her service at halfback was first class,'' Rees said.
Keely Holden from Manning Ratz battled on despite a back injury sustained early in the encounter while fullback Hannah Yates from Gloucester was a casualty, causing a reshuffle in the backline.
Sheridan Clarke from the Ratz and Elaine Tupou-Faulao from Old Bar were effective in the centres, particularly in defence.
Second rower Jess Bridges from Manning Ratz got through a power of work.
Southern led 7-0 after the first quarter of the men's game after a try to fullback Chris Tout.
Then the experienced AJ Gilbert was introduced into the encounter for Northern and he made the difference.
"They scored three tries in the second term,'' Rees said.
Southern captain-coach Dave Rees smashed through tackles in the opening run of the game and this set the tone for the rest of the fixture. Fullback Tout was another to standout in attack while he was resolute in defence, producing up to four try saving tackles.
Old Bar's Phil Koch came on in the second half and scored a try while fellow Old Bar Clams forward Nick Driessen dominated the lineouts.
