![Hunter's Billy Menchin scores the opening try against Western Plains on Saturday. Picture Facebook/NSW Country Rugby Union Hunter's Billy Menchin scores the opening try against Western Plains on Saturday. Picture Facebook/NSW Country Rugby Union](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/e7757f5f-bf66-45cd-909a-484d7aa6ac8d.jpg/r0_0_1500_847_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Hunter Rugby men's coach Martin Brett hopes the side's Richardson Shield triumph at the weekend can be a stepping stone towards higher honours next year.
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The representative side, a new-look assembly of players, went unbeaten through the NSW Country Rugby Union Championships at Tamworth to claim the second-tier trophy.
They defeated Western Plains 31-12 and New England 42-7 on Saturday before Mid North Coast 45-26 in the final on Sunday.
"We're not here to make up numbers," Brett said.
"Traditionally, Newcastle has been the strongest team.
"I like to think we're the strongest comp in NSW.
"For us it was about proving we're still here, and I think the results do that."
Hunter topped a lower-ranked Pool C to qualify for the final. Mid North Coast had finished fifth across the higher-seeded A and B pools.
The top-two sides from pools A and B, Central Coast and Central West, played off for the Caldwell Cup with the latter winning 52-5.
Mid North Coast went 7-0 up 10 minutes into the Richardson Shield decider after scoring the opening try, but Hunter quickly hit back and scored again just before half-time to take a 24-12 lead.
They crossed five minutes after the break to establish a comfortable buffer and fly-half Kalani Grant then scored between the goal-posts to help extend the lead to 38-12 with 25 minutes left to play.
Mid North Coast worked hard to get back into the game and scored two tries in the final 10 minutes, one on full-time, but their tries came either side of a try from Hunter fullback Pat Batey.
Brett nominated back-rowers Sam Callow, Rhys Bray and Toa Havea as standouts but hailed an all-round team performance.
Singleton's Nick Wald looks set for a stint out of club rugby after injuring his shoulder, but Brett said everyone else got through relatively unscathed.
It was dual success for the Hunter in Tamworth with the women's side claiming the Thomson Cup. In a close final on Sunday, Hunter came from 3-0 down to defeat Central West 13-3. The side didn't conceded a point on Saturday, beating Central North 12-0, Far North Coast 46-0 and New England 31-0.
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