2 of the 3 underperforming Sydney teams came out to play each other in what the NRC officials will want to become a festival of hate in the future, each looking to swing the glory supporters their way at a time when people are still forming their allegiances. The Rams chose to perform to produce a straight forward victory against the lacklustre stars in perfect conditions.
The Match
It didn’t take long for the Rams to show that they were playing to win when Taqele Naiyaravoro crashed over the line 5 minutes in after sustained pressure from their quick feed to the wings. The try went unconverted by Ben Volavola however which with the new law variations can be a dangerous thing. Meanwhile the Stars looked to be startled by the aggressive offense being played by the rams when, 10 minutes in, Matthew Kenny nearly made a runaway only to be halted by a similarly aggressive defensive strategy. This stumbling of an otherwise almost certain try was backed up by Jim Stewarts attempt at a dash to the tryline where the Stars again failed to capitalise, losing the ball 5 metres out.
The Rams countered well against the stars with not much ambivalence in their style of play, they attacked the direct centre of the field or got the ball straight out to the wing. This was rewarded when Jerome Mckenzie again made a runaway reaching ten metres out from the line before the ball was flung to Jared Barry on the wing who scored. With the conversion from Ben Volavola this meant the Rams lead 13-0 20 minutes in. With the stars weaknesses showing up, forcing themselves into unforced errors and silly passes, it didn’t take long for another Rams try to be scored. This time it was by Chris Alcock after a strong central field counter by Steve Mafi.
The Stars soon suggested they could start thinking again when a quick ball went through to Jack Macklin for an unconverted corner try. The Rams proved that both teams could be stupid too when they got within a metre of the tryline before kicking it directly into the hands of the Stars in a spur of white line fever. Some of the harder edged scrum laws came into play at the back end of the first half when the number of scrum restarts got to the ref, awarding the Rams a penalty try, ending the half at 29-5 to the Rams.
The game slowed in the second half but didn’t stop the storm of tries, Hugh Roach going over 2 minutes in, the score at 37-5 after conversion. The stars showed they might still have a chance when Skelton ran over the line off a good one-two from Jim Stewart and James Dargaville. Stuart Dunbar had another bad kicking game however and missed the conversion. It didn’t take long for the Rams to batten down the hatches though with another try pushed in from Jerome Mckenzie after a brilliant central move from Volavola.
25 points down, the Stars kept the ball in hand rather than using their often struggling passing game to phase the ball close to the line before Jake Gordon went in over the top of a ruck, Dunbar being rewarded with persistence for the conversion. Michael Mcdougall got the last points of the game not long after with a try in the corner, before ten minutes of Stars attack failed to redeem the game for them, play ending 47-18 to the Rams.
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The Game Changer
Taqele Naiyaravoro’s try 5 minutes in secured the psychological advantage straight away, similar things can be said for Hugh Roach’s in the second half
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The G&GR MOTM
Taqele Naiyaravoro had a stunning game both in attack and defense (barring a league-like shoulder charge before the Stars first try)
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Players to watch
Jerome Mckenzie and Steve Mafi had great games too contributing in both defensive and offensive roles.
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The Details
Crowd: 1063
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]Greater Sydney Rams: 47
Tries: Naiyaravoro, Barry, Alcock, penalty try, Roach, McKenzie, McDougall
Conversions: Ben Volavola – 4
Penalties: none[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]Sydney Stars: 18
Tries: Macklin, Skelton, Gordon
Conversions: Stuart Dunbar – 1
Penalties: none[/one_half]
Cards & citings
None
