Dubbo were forced to call on the experience of their top players to defeat the touring South Otago Rugby Union side 8/6 on Saturday in a torrid match.
The match was highlighted by rugged forward play, in which the Dubbo side were given the advantage by the leadership of Wallaby Jon White who inspired his team-mates to lift their game when the pressure was on them.
Both teams turned in a non-stop display, with the forwards outstanding as they battled to swing the game.
South Otago were best served by their two prop forwards, Dennis Holden and Stewart McDougall who were tireless in the tight play.
Holden in particular was a tower of strength, particularly in the loose rucks where he continually troubled the Dubbo side with the vigor of his play.
Captain John Wilson was the outstanding back, showing a touch of class in the way he eluded Dubbo's breakaways time after time to set his backs moving.
But much of his good work nullified by the bustling tackling of the Dubbo backs.
Young Dubbo wingers Alan Furney and Michael Dowd were outstanding in defence, breaking up the threatending moves of the visitors again and again, and moving across in cover defence to stop many raids.
Dubbo's back-row forwards gave a great exhibitorion of constructive play and hard tackling of the inside backs.
Lock Geoff Radburn was tigerish in defence and made several dangerous moves from the scrum base.
Ray Tolhurst and Alex Morrison were at their best to the final bell with bustling forward play in attack and defence.
Hard-running Geoff Chapman gave the South Otago defence some anxious moments, adn scored the first try of the match, finishing off a high-pressure attack on the tourists line by charging over in the corner.
The match opened at a great pace, with Dubbo pouring on the pressure as they broke into South Otago territory and they continued the attack until Chapman went over for the try to draw first blood.
Radburn failed with the difficult conversion attempt and Dubbo led 3-0.
The New Zealanders then fought back to force Dubbo onto the defensive with a burst of powerhouse play.
{module_literature,i,141393} {module_literature,i,141426}