By Phil Wilkins
The Lower Mid North Coast rugby union premiership will kick off on April 14 with an enlarged seven-club competition, the new club joining the competition being the Myall Lakes Mud Crabs which will be based in the Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest area.
Likewise, concerns about the capacity of the Harrington Hurricanes to field a team have abated and officials have confirmed to the MNC Zone’s new executive officer, Bob Wilson, that they are confident they will sustain their numbers and will field a strong side.
“It is most welcome news that we have a brand new club and that Harrington are sure they have the players and personnel to acquit themselves well this year,” Mr Wilson said.
“It is very reassuring that rugby continues to thrive in the face of much football competition from the other codes, bringing families and young men together in a spirit of rivalry and goodwill , but essentially for the enjoyment of sport.”
Mr Wilson has released a competition draw in which each club will play two rounds of six games, in all 12 games before the semi-final play-offs, the formation of the Myall Mud Crabs requiring two byes during the season, a not undesirable situation in a country competition.
The Forster-Tuncurry Dolphins, four times grand finalists in the four years of the LMNC since the division of the zone into separate competitions and champions in 2008 and 2010, will kick off their premiership bid against their traditional rivals, the Manning River Ratz, at Taree Rugby Park, the two sides having met in last season’s preliminary final.
The Ratz will be especially determined to avenge their setback for they led 20-3 after half an hour, took their foot off the accelerator and went down 49-23, a crushing loss in which the last hour undid their months of training and preparation under coach Graeme Dun.
For the Dolphins this year looms as a turning point in their fortunes with Ron McCarthy becoming coaching co-ordinator and former NSW Country representative second rower, Shane Dean, appointed as forward coach. Regrettably, the two fine young coaches being groom to succeed McCarthy, Mark Hudson and David Birch, are unavailable due to professional commitments.
Training begins for the Dolphins on Tuesday, February 7, at Tuncurry’s Peter Barclay Sports Field. New players are required and should attend the session from 6 p.m.
Forster club’s Super 10s carnival, always a testing and fascinating pre-season tournament, will be held at Tuncurry on March 3 with each competing club paying $100 entry fee. The winners of the carnival will receive $1,000.
Gloucester club will host the LMNC gala day carnival on March 31. The Cockies’ new president is the club’s tireless utility player, Stuart Paynter.
Last year’s LMNC champions, the Old Bar Clams, will be without two of their magnificent driving forces in Richard Crook and Darren Drury, who, temporarily at least, have stood down from their positions of recent years, Mr Crook as executive officer and Mr Drury as head coach.
The Clams have appointed Chris Marchant as their new captain-coach with Tim Brown remaining as president of the club. Marchant’s appointment confirms the widespread opinion that he is one of the region’s most important rugby acquisitions since his move from the Central Coast.
Marchant’s experience, knowledge and tactical skills were splendidly illustrated in his performance in last season’s grand final when the Clams overcame the Dolphins for the title.
The program for the first weeks of the LMNC season is as follows:
o 11/02/2012: Crescent Head 7’s
o 03/03/2012: Forster-Tuncurry Super 10’s
o 17/03/2012, 24/03/2012, 31/03/2012: Clubs to organise internal trial games
o Premiership Draw 14/04/2012
Manning v Forster
Myall Lakes v Gloucester
Harrington v Wallamba
Old Bar bye.
o 21/04/2012: Wallamba v Myall Lakes
Old Bar v Harrington
Gloucester v Manning
Forster bye
o 28/04/2012: Manning v Wallamba
Myall Lakes v Old Bar
Forster v Gloucester
Harrington bye
o 05/05/2012: Harrington v Myall lakes
Wallamba v Forster
Old bar v Manning
Gloucester bye
o 12/05/2012: Forster v Old Bar
Manning vHarrington
Gloucester v Wallamba
Myall Lakes bye
o 19/05/2012 Tri Zone Rep
o 26/05/2012: Harrington v Forster
Old Bar v Gloucester
Myall Lakes v Manning
Wallamba bye
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