AFTER a bit of a wobbly start, New England’s hopes of winning a first-ever Richardson Shield on home soil remain alive.
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The Lions bounced back from a 16-point loss to Far North Coast in their first game today to roar their way to a 23-12 win over Western Plains and into tomorrow’s final.
They’ll meet Central West at 11.20 at Bellevue Oval after the Blue Bulls trampled Mid North Coast 31-10 and then Far North Coast 24-0 in the final game of the day.
The silverware hopes of the Lions colts, and Central North opens and colts are over though after they were all beaten in contrasting fashion.
The Lions colts had victory, and a spot in the Rowlands Colts Cup (Tier 1) final, snatched from them by Central Coast in the final few minutes, with the Sea Hawks scoring to get up 17-14.
Those last few minutes were the only time they were in front with the Lions leading 7-5 at half-time, and then 14-5 early in the second half.
Central Coast will face Newcastle Hunter in the final after the Wildfires razed Central North 62-5.
The Novocastrians were the Kookaburras’ nemisis with the opens clipping the Kookaburras wings 33-18.
The Kookaburras were chasing their first Caldwell Cup since 2001 and really took the fight to last years runners-up.
There was nothing in it in the first half, Simon Newton putting the Kookaburras ahead 3-nil with a few minutes remaining, before Newcastle hooker Steve Lamont ploughed through a few tired Central North tackles in the shades of half-time to give them a 5-3 lead at the break.
They pushed out to 12-3 only minutes into the second half, but the Kookaburras clawed their way back to have a kick for the lead.
But it went across the face of the posts.
Newcastle hit back from the kick-off, and as the speed and intensity they played with started to fatigue the Kookaburras, they took a stranglehold. Defending champions Illawarra then overcame Central Coast 31-17 to set up a rematch of last years final.
After jumping out to a 10-nil lead, the Illawarriors found themselves trailing 14-10 at half-time.
But they found their rhythm again in the second half.
The Illawarriors colts also have a shot at some silverware and will tackle Central West in the Colts Shield (Tier 2) final, after they had respective 38-24 and 29-14 wins.
It will be the first of the four finals played tomorrow.
The action kicks off at 8.20am with Mid North Coast and Far North Coast colts doing battle.
DAY 1 RESULTS
Seniors
Caldwell Cup: Newcastle Hunter 33 d Central North 18; Illawarra 31 d Central Coast 17.
Richardson Shield: Central West 31 d Mid North Coast 10; Far North Coast 36 d New England 20; New England 23 d Western Plains 12; Central West 47 d Far North Coast 0.
Colts
Rowlands Colts Cup: Newcastle 62 d Central North 5; Central Coast 17 d New England 14.
Colts Shield: Central West 29 d Mid North Coast 14; Illawarra 38 d Far North Coast 24.