Winning rugby stems from destructive defence.
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So it proved again with the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins continuing on their winning wave at Nabiac against the Wallamba Bulls on Saturday.
"They defended like animals!" one shaken Bulls player said in candid admiration after the Dolphins' five tries to nil and 27-3 defeat of the back-to-back premiers of the last two seasons.
Music to a rival coach's ears.
Since rugby union resumed as the "Lower" branch of the Mid North Coast Zone in 2008, no heavier forward pack has taken the field than this season's Dolphins' unit, the club having suddenly found itself reinforced by four Tongan heavyweight forwards, all 125kgs-plus.
It may be a one-winter miracle while the Forster building project continues for "Lolo" Latu and his prop forward cousins, "Austin" and "Ringo", but while they are in town, the Dolphins will take a power of beating.
Brave to the bitter end, the Bulls found themselves confronting "moving mountains".
It was beyond their resources, new coach Peter White having arrived at Nabiac this year, lucklessly learning no less than eight front-liners were departing the club.
Yet, outweighed as they were, Daniel Hessing's scrum held firm and Jeremy Kelly won important lineout ball, even if Sean Hassett continues to show there is no more mobile and dexterous lineout forward in the Kennards Hire premiership.
Behind their big men and sparked by the halfback pairing of Tom Harris and Matt Nuku, the Dolphins' midfield combination of Mark Hagarty and Jesse Logan surged into overdrive, running in the first try after just seven minutes and remaining game-long threats.
In what became their finest performance of the year, even without powerhouse No 8, "Hau" Honemau, pining in the shadows with a strained hamstring, the Dolphins led 10-3 at the interval and broke free soon after with big lock Nigel Pereira's crashing try.
Said the young Dolphins' ball boy, Nick Pereira: "I want to be like my Dad."
With the minor premiership under the Dolphins' lock and key, the Wauchope Thunder gained the morale-boosting win they wanted before next month's play-offs by upsetting the second-placed Manning River Ratz, 38-27, at Taree Rugby Park.
The Thunder have edged into third position ahead of Wallamba, but if they believe the Bulls will be a pushover in the minor semi-final, they should think again.
The Bulls are tenacious and they're tough.
Wauchope continued their domination of the 10-a-side women's competition, eclipsing the Ratz, 75- 10, a defeat appearing to consign the Ratz to the sudden-death semi-final.
Gloucester's 51-5 win over Old Bar at home has secured their major semi-final position against the Thunder.
Sadly without the services of stalwart Chloe Foley and Lisa Jones-Pollard, the Dolphinettes crashed 89-0 to the Wallamba Bulls for whom Lalirra Simon and Teleah Willams each ran in four tries.
In next Saturday's final round, Forster meet Wauchope at Peter Barclay Field, Tuncurry, and Old Bar Beach play Wallamba at Richard Crook Field.
Gloucester have the bye.
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