Newcastle Hunter 3 time Winners Heading Detail
Newcastle Hunter Seniors proved that they are worthy NSWCRU Caldwell Cup Champions when they defeated Central Coast 13 - 0 in the Finals of the 2010 NSWCRU Championships at Cahill Oval Belmont on Sunday. In stifling heat the Wildfires took out their third consecutive Country Championship Title with a hard fought victory over Central Coast Waves.
The win sees Newcastle Hunter join the ACT, Central Coast and Central North as triple consecutive winners in the sixty year history of the Caldwell Cup.
The final between Central Coast and Newcastle Hunter was very keenly contested, with both sides unable to breach the opposition’s defence until Newcastle Hunter scored the match winning try in the dying moments of the match.
Central Coast had first use of a handy breeze and had the better of the first half, but they were unable to convert the pressure into points due to solid Newcastle Hunter defence and several missed kicks at penalty goals.
Newcastle Hunter when they did get into the opposition half managed to convert some of their pressure into points when they kicked one of two penalty goal attempts, which saw them take a 3 – 0 lead into the half time break.
The second half saw Newcastle Hunter running with the breeze and they continually had the Central Coast pinned in their half, but once again the defence held and there only success on the score board was another penalty goal to take them out to a 6 – 0 lead.
On the occasions the Central Coast did mount attacking raids the defence held and once again they failed to convert penalty goal kick attempts into points.
With the match entering the last five minutes of play, the Central Coast launched an attack from within their twenty two which saw play sweep down field before ending with the Central Coast being held up over the line.
A Newcastle Hunter player was sent to the Sin Bin for an infringement, and a five metre scrum was awarded to the Central Coast.
With less than a couple of minutes on the clock the Central Coast won the scrum and launched a backline raid which saw them work an overlap and a try seemed certain to be scored. At this point the Newcastle Hunter open side winger took a punt and successfully intercepted the final Central Coast pass to race ninety metres to score a converted try and wrap up the Country Championship Title for Newcastle Hunter.
The Colts Championship, Richardson Shield and Colts Plate Finals all saw upsets with each of the favoured teams being beaten in exciting matches.
In the Colts Championship Final Illawarra came from behind in the dying minutes of the match with a seventy five metre kick and chase try to deny Newcastle Hunter 19 – 13.
The Richardson Shield Final saw Far North Coast upstage Central North 20 – 5 with a tradesman like display to take out their first Country Title since 1996.
New England claimed the Colts Plate Final in a very free running match with a comprehensive 32 – 12 victory over Central North.
At the conclusion of the two major finals Matt Dun (Newcastle Hunter) and Chris Miller (Illawarra) were named the Senior and Colt Players of the 2010 Country Championships.
The win sees Newcastle Hunter join the ACT, Central Coast and Central North as triple consecutive winners in the sixty year history of the Caldwell Cup.
The final between Central Coast and Newcastle Hunter was very keenly contested, with both sides unable to breach the opposition’s defence until Newcastle Hunter scored the match winning try in the dying moments of the match.
Central Coast had first use of a handy breeze and had the better of the first half, but they were unable to convert the pressure into points due to solid Newcastle Hunter defence and several missed kicks at penalty goals.
Newcastle Hunter when they did get into the opposition half managed to convert some of their pressure into points when they kicked one of two penalty goal attempts, which saw them take a 3 – 0 lead into the half time break.
The second half saw Newcastle Hunter running with the breeze and they continually had the Central Coast pinned in their half, but once again the defence held and there only success on the score board was another penalty goal to take them out to a 6 – 0 lead.
On the occasions the Central Coast did mount attacking raids the defence held and once again they failed to convert penalty goal kick attempts into points.
With the match entering the last five minutes of play, the Central Coast launched an attack from within their twenty two which saw play sweep down field before ending with the Central Coast being held up over the line.
A Newcastle Hunter player was sent to the Sin Bin for an infringement, and a five metre scrum was awarded to the Central Coast.
With less than a couple of minutes on the clock the Central Coast won the scrum and launched a backline raid which saw them work an overlap and a try seemed certain to be scored. At this point the Newcastle Hunter open side winger took a punt and successfully intercepted the final Central Coast pass to race ninety metres to score a converted try and wrap up the Country Championship Title for Newcastle Hunter.
The Colts Championship, Richardson Shield and Colts Plate Finals all saw upsets with each of the favoured teams being beaten in exciting matches.
In the Colts Championship Final Illawarra came from behind in the dying minutes of the match with a seventy five metre kick and chase try to deny Newcastle Hunter 19 – 13.
The Richardson Shield Final saw Far North Coast upstage Central North 20 – 5 with a tradesman like display to take out their first Country Title since 1996.
New England claimed the Colts Plate Final in a very free running match with a comprehensive 32 – 12 victory over Central North.
At the conclusion of the two major finals Matt Dun (Newcastle Hunter) and Chris Miller (Illawarra) were named the Senior and Colt Players of the 2010 Country Championships.