The Mid North Coast Axemen’s baptism in Caldwell Cup rugby union was a scalding experience at Warren over the weekend with rivals on successive days being the two long-time champion zones of N.S.W. Country, Illawarra and Newcastle-Hunter Valley.
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The outcome was regrettably predictable with the Axemen competitive for the first hour in Saturday’s game against Illawarra, scoring three tries in the first half and trailing 22-33 at the interval, before their rivals’ stamina prevailed to win, 55-22.
In Sunday’s game, Newcastle-Hunter responded to their stunning 33-34 loss on Saturday to Central West, beaten by a penalty goal two minutes from full-time, by overpowering the M.N.C. Axemen, 59-25.
The two losses mean the Axemen will be relegated to the second tier of N.S.W. Country rugby for the Richardson Shield next winter, the competition they won last year.
“Naturally disappointed, but proud of the team’s development,”coach Angus Anderson said. “Our lads’ average age was 21. They were a very young team and will go back to their clubs better players.
“Our rivals were older and heavier and had had years of representative rugby. We learned so much from the carnival, how essential it is to maintain focus and concentration for the full 80 minutes. Our squad has a decade of rugby ahead of them.”
Flankers Sam Callow and Kaes Besseling gave impressive performances for the Axemen as did props James Bellamy and Peter Gowler, lock Ant McGrath and Wallamba winger, James Handford.
Illawarra subsequently won the Caldwell Cup by beating Central West in the final, 37-15. Central Coast won promotion by claiming the Richardson Shield, beating Western Plains, 47-19.
Women’s “Sevens” continued its advancement with Mid North Coast qualifying for the final by impressively beating Central West, 22-10, only to lose to the dynamic Hunter team, 36-0.
