IT'S lucky new Blue Bulls coaches Steve Hamson and Mick Gray like a challenge, because there's a massive chance no Central West mentor has faced, or will have to face in the future, the kind of scheduling dilemma the premiership-winning Orange City pair are about to in 2015.
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The Lions coaching duo were officially announced as head coaches of the Blue Bulls for next year's Caldwell Cup defence this week.
And that isn't the only announcement. Drastic changes to the scheduling of the 2015 Country Championships were confirmed, meaning both Hamson and Gray will be taking the Blue Bulls to Bowral during the first weekend in May - mid-Blowes Clothing Cup season.
The country championship's move from late March to May this year was voted on at the NSW Country Rugby annual general meeting and was passed by the state's smaller provinces.
That's easy for regions with little more than an hour's travel from border to border.
From Narromine to Bathurst then Mudgee to Cowra, no region spans the sort of distance Grey and Hamson will now have to cover just to get the 2015 Blue Bulls together for training.
And they have to do it mid-season.
Gray said the biggest challenge was organising trial matches, while training sessions on a Sunday after representative players don their club colours on a Saturday was shaping up as the Blue Bulls' only option in a now gruelling championship defence.
"It's going to be difficult. Timing will be the key, but at the end of the day clubs are going to want their players playing club rugby," Gray said.
"The only thing is (every region) is in the same boat."
Hamson said there were some benefits, however.
"The upside of it being mid-year is the fitness of players will be there and we'll be able to get a decent look at any new players in the zone," Hamson said.
"Hopefully we'll get to see most people when they play City, but if we have to split up and go to other games to catch players, then we will ... and that'll include a few of the GrainCorp Cup games as well."
Hamson said the opportunity to make the jump from coaching the Central West under 20s side, a role he's shared with Blayney's John Hamilton for the last three seasons, and take care of the Blue Bulls was an opportunity too good to refuse.
"There's a great range of players coming through that age group. I guess it's the natural step up," he said.
While Gray added the "challenge" was a key in his return to the Central West's top coaching gig.
"We enjoying coaching and we enjoy coaching together. And like players we enjoy a challenge," Gray added.
Hamson agreed, adding the response from some of the zone's best players was already encouraging.
"I'd like to think there will be players who will be keen to be part of the success last year's team had under Matt McRobert, but there's always the other side of the coin and players might want to take a step back," he said.
"We're not sure how the numbers will fall but we're hopeful."The response from players when we had the HeartKids Cup (in October) was encouraging."