THE Old Bar Festival attracted more than 10,000 people to the coastal town last year and once again rugby union will provide entertainment this weekend with the Old Bar Clams’ Super 10s tournament a special attraction on Saturday.

Southern Shield grand finalists, the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins and the Old Bar Clams, will both field teams with other clubs confirmed being Taree’s Manning River Ratz, the Gloucester Cockies and the Nabiac-Bulahdelah Bulls.

The Sydney club, Campbelltown, has indicated it plans to send a squad north for the tournament while the Hastings Valley Vikings of Port Macquarie are hoping to defend the title they won at the festival last October.

The encouraging number of players interested in taking part in the tournament at the start of daylight saving has the Clams’ rugby director, Richard Crook, considering nominating an Old Bar Barbarians team.

Mr Crook has been informed by the Mid North Coast RU’s executive officer, Desmond Hoy, that players must be covered by insurance with the Australian Rugby Union’s insurance company, Gow-Gates, and therefore registered with a senior club.

For players new to the game or without a club this technical issue can be overcome by registering on Saturday with a cover note from a registered club involved in the tournament.

Players under-18 should have a two-year disclosure form from parents or guardian to take part in the senior tournament.

The organisers’ hope is that Gloucester, Forster and Hastings Valley will enter teams in an Under-16 tens with other players from surrounding schools nominating a Barbarians-style team, possibly playing under the flag of the Taree Ratz or Old Bar Clams.

“Our tens have been played at the last four Old Bar Festivals and have really added to the carnival atmosphere and been a tremendous spectacle for visitors,” Mr Crook said.

All clubs planning to take part in the tournament must nominate teams to Mr Crook by this Wednesday afternoon for the draw to be finalised and forwarded to the competing clubs. The entry fee is $50 per team.

The qualifying games will begin on both playing fields at 2pm with 10-minute halves and a two-minute half-time break. The semi-finals and final will be played between 6.30pm and 8pm with 12-minute halves and a three-minute half-time break.

Prizes include a Casio wrist watch for the player-of-the-tournament, presented by Old Bar stalwart, Chris Mylonas, from Taree’s Classic Design Jewellers.

In addition, the winning team will receive a coffee cup with the beaten finalists receiving a Paper Plate and the play-off winners a Plastic Salad Bowl – and a carton of beer each for the trophy-winners.

- Phil Wilkins