mmg.com.au

Fledgling rugby club Shepparton Bulls can forget about anonymity from now on.

The Bulls returned from Geelong’s Kardinia Park on Saturday as the surprise Country 7s champions in Shepparton’s first appearance in a Victorian Rugby Union-affiliated competition in four years.

They beat pre-tournament favourite and host Geelong 19-10 in their opener before booking a final spot with a comprehensive 17-0 victory over Bendigo.

That set up a clash with the highly fancied Border Army side, but Shepparton’s physicality wore its rival down as it claimed the title with a 26-12 triumph.

Bulls winger Antonio Tunumafono gave his team more reason to celebrate as the tournament’s highest try-scorer.

A celebratory function was organised at Shepparton’s Queen’s Gardens last night.

Coach Warren Johnston said the performance exceeded all expectations.

‘‘We were pretty excited on the weekend about it. We would have been happy to win one game,’’ Johnston said.

‘‘We had to play the Army in the grand final and they’d just beaten the Navy and the Army was up for it, but it was our defence that won it.

‘‘The boys laid three massive hits in the first 10 minutes of the final and they didn’t want to know about it and the boys stayed strong in defence.’’

Johnston said the Country 7s win had increased the Bulls’ profile and they had organised pre-season matches with Melbourne-based clubs.

‘‘It’s huge and the culture within the club is really good,’’ he said.

‘‘We conducted ourselves really well. No-one knew about Shepparton being in the competition, but we now have a big target on our back for the rest of the season, but bring it on.’’

Shepparton starts its VRU country division campaign on April 27 and Johnston said the playing group, many of who played for the defunct Cobram side last season, was targeting finals.

‘‘It’s going to be about maintaining our focus, but our expectations are to make the finals,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re not there just to make up the numbers. They believe in themselves and believe we can make finals.’’

Johnston said the Bulls had trained since November without a significant break.

‘‘We have a core group of 25 (players) and training’s been huge, so there’s a lot of pressure on the boys for positions, which is good for me,’’ he said.

‘‘The support from sponsors and local businesses and local people has been amazing, especially since we’ve won the tournament.’’

The other teams in the Country 7s tournament were Ballarat, Melton, Cerberus and Warrnambool.