GROUP 21 was unable to claim the men’s or league tag titles at the Greater Northern Championships in Tamworth on Sunday.
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In the men’s first match, the Upper-Hunter based squad trailed 22-20 at half-time to Group 19 but surged back to run over the top of their opposition in the second period.
The Group 21 outfit scored 30 unanswered points to end the match as 52-22 winners.
Up against Group 4 in the decider, Group 21 went behind early but hit back through a try to Scone back rower Tim Watson.
A dropped bomb by Group 4 near their tryline saw winger Josh Adams spread the ball to Hamish Wolfgang, who dived over in the corner to make it 10-4.
However, Group 4 hooker Brock Wadwell then found Gunnedah’s Danny Read five metres out with no one in front of him to score under the posts and lock the game up at 10-all.
Wadwell’s eyes then lit up as he saw the defensive line split, with the Norths utility ducking over to give his side the lead before launching a huge 40/20 to consolidate.
Group 21 five-eighth Justin Apthorpe was then sent off for dissent and, despite getting repeat sets on the Bushrangers line, they couldn’t break through the stiff defence as Group 4 held on to take the Jim Sharpe Cup.
The Group 4 girls did it easier than the men, winning the day on the back of their defence. Only one try was scored against them in two games as they beat Group 19 20-6 before belting Group 21 36-nil to take the Jane Walmsley Shield.
