Mudgee sent three teams to the NSW Touch Country Championships in Tuggerah on the weekend.
It was the first time in two years the Country Championships have been held following last year’s cancellation due to a statewide Covid-19 lockdown, while the tournament welcomed back spectators for the first time since 2019.
Mudgee Women’s 30s were put in a combined division with the women’s 40s teams. Mudgee finished second on the table behind Maitland 30s.
The two sides would meet in the final with the Redbacks getting revenge on the Mudcrabs from their Hornets Championships loss a month prior. Maitland claiming the title 5-2.
As one of 14 teams in their division – the biggest contingent at the tournament – Mudgee Mixed Open finished as quarter finalists.
Grouped in a tough pool, Mudgee finished third behind Port Macquarie and Newcastle.
In the quarter finals they played perennial rivals Wallsend Wolves; it was also a replay of the 2020 Country Championships Mixed Open final.
On that occasion two years, Wallsend got the chocolates and in 2022, the Wolves got them again; defeating Mudgee 7-4.
The Men’s 40s were grouped with teams 10 years their junior and it proved to be a tough weekend. Although they showed plenty of improvement, including a superb performance of the Mudcrab dance that was live streamed on NSW Touch’s social pages, the Mudcrabs just couldn’t pinch their rivals hard enough.
The next major tournament for our senior teams is the NSW Touch State Cup in Port Macquarie from December 2-4.
