RUGBY UNION
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Mid-Western Regional Council has put forward an expression of interest to host at least one National Rugby Championship match at Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium in 2014.
On the back of hosting a successful NSW Country Rugby Union Championships in March, Council has indicated they would be keen to host a match of the National Rugby Championship in its inaugural season.
The National Rugby Championship (NRC) will begin during August this year and will be known as a second-tier competition to Super Rugby. Several Super Rugby players not on Wallabies duty will be available to participate in the tournament but, more importantly, an opportunity has risen for country NSW players to gain a position.
Days prior to Council and the Mudgee Wombats hosting the NSW Country Rugby Union Championships, Australian Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver announced a NSW Country side will compete in the nine-team NRC.
The side is likely to include about 10 players currently competing in zones across NSW as well as former country men now playing in Sydney’s Shute Shield. The NSW Country side is in partnership with Sydney teams Randwick and Easts.
On Wednesday Council’s corporate communications officer, Pip Goldsmith, said Council were “very hopeful” of hosting at least one of the franchises’ games. The NRC will be play eight preliminary rounds before semi-finals and hosting the NSW Country side would be ideal.
She said the expression of interest was not just for 2014 but into the long term future.
NSW Country general manager, James Grant, said a decision on where games are to be played could not be made until the NRC draw was released. A proposed draw is expected in the next fortnight.
He said there had been several Central West towns expressing their interest such as Dubbo, Orange and Bathurst. Towns such as Lismore and Tamworth among others have also submitted interest. Prior to Mudgee hosting the NSW Country Rugby Union Championships both Dubbo and Orange were considered the front runners.
Grant said a NSW Country squad will not be finalised until June or July with separate entity, the NSW Country Cockatoos, yet to play their matches and the Super Rugby competition still ongoing.
NSW Country will compete against Brisbane City, Queensland Country, North Harbour Rays, Sydney Stars, Greater Sydney Rams, University of Canberra Vikings and Melbourne Rising.
Starting at the conclusion of each state’s premier rugby competitions, the NRC is the equivalent of New Zealand’s ITM Cup and will be the highest domestic level competition in the country.