NRC Rnd 3: Brisbane City vs Queensland Country

[Hugh Jarse]

vs

When: Sunday 6 September. Kick-off 3.30pm AEST
Where: Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba
Match Referee: Damien Mitchelmore
Assistant Referees: Rohan Hoffmann, Matt O'Brien
Broadcast Information: foxsports.com.au and FOX SPORTS Now

2015 Queensland Country Form Guide: LL
2015 Brisbane City Form Guide: WW

Last Time They Met: 28/09/14; Brisbane City 29-13 Queensland Country; Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

Match Notes: Early season front-runners Brisbane City are expected to welcome Karmichael Hunt back in their ranks as they travel to Toowoomba looking to extend their six-match winning streak in the National Rugby Championship.

At Stake: A "Ballymore Kid" Contract, The Andy Purcell Cup

Teams:

Brisbane City
1. Pettowa PARAKA – Reds/Easts
2. Andrew READY – Reds/Easts
3. Sam TALAKAI – Reds/GPS
4. Ben HYNE - Brothers
5. Cadeyrn NEVILLE – Reds/Manly
6. Luke BEAUCHAMP - Brothers
7. Liam GILL (C) – Reds/Sunnybank
8. Scott HIGGINBOTHAM – NEC Green Rockets
9. Nick FRISBY – Reds/GPS
10. Jake McINTYRE – Reds/Sunnybank
11. Alex GIBBON – Southern Districts
12. Samu KEREVI – Reds/GPS
13. Karmichael HUNT – Reds/Brothers
14. Chris KURIDRANI – Reds/GPS
15. Junior LALOIFI - Sunnybank

16. Matt MAFI - Brothers
17. Markus VANZATI – Souths
18. Feao FOTUAIKA - Sunnybank
19. James MOORE - Easts
20. Waita SETU – GPS
21. Moses SOROVI – University of Queensland (potential debut)
22. Henry TAEFU - Sunnybank
23. Patrick JAMES – Brothers (potential debut)

Queensland Country

1. Haydn HIRSIMAKI – Sunnybank/Sunshine Coast
2. Saia FAINGA’A – Reds/GPS
3. Sef FA’AGASE – Reds/University of Queensland/Beaudesert
4. Phil POTGIETER – University of Queensland/Toowoomba
5. Milton SIKUEA** – Bond University/Gold Coast
6. Jack CORNELSEN – University of Queensland/Gold Coast
7. Conor MITCHELL – University of Queensland/Sunshine Coast
8. Radike SAMO - GPS
9. James TUTTLE (C) – Reds/GPS
10. Sam GREENE – Reds/Brothers
11. Izaia PERESE - Easts
12. Campbell MAGNAY – Reds/GPS
13. Chris FEAUAI-SAUTIA – Reds/Souths
14. Tom PINCUS – University of Queensland/Gold Coast
15. Duncan PAIA’AUA – Reds/GPS/Rockhampton

16. Alex MAFI – Reds/Bond University/Gold Coast
17. Taniela TUPOU* - Reds/Brothers
18. Reuben LEILUA – University of Queensland
19. Richie ARNOLD – Bond University/Gold Coast
20. Maclean JONES – University of Queensland/St George
21. Scott GALE – Reds/University of Queensland
22. Dion TAUMATA – Bond University/Gold Coast
23. Tom BANKS* - Reds/University of Queensland

@RugbyReg says (http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/nrc-2015-round-3-preview/):
Toowoomba should be rocking this Sunday arvo as QLD Country host their first City-Country match of the NRC. Whilst the Horan-Little Shield will remain at Ballymore, there is still plenty to play for as the two Queensland teams face off for the Andy Purcell Cup as part of the celebrations of Queensland Country Rugby Union’s 50th anniversary.
Brisbane City are again setting the pace in this year’s NRC and their second half performance against the Rising, minus key players, should be a big concern for the rest of the competition. QLD Country have impressed most who have seen them play and are quite capable of springing an upset. Their big focus MUST be on aggressive up-front defense as they have leaked tries at key times, and provided opposition runners easy metres.
Key Matchups:
This is kind of like a “The Voice” for flyhalves this weekend. Whilst the Ballymore Kid competition will see the Reds sign a player from these two sides to a Super Rugby contract, Sam Greene and Jake McIntyre will face-off as the Reds’ sole playmakers at the moment. Greene probably edge’s McIntyre currently in terms of form, so Jake will be looking for a big one on Sunday. Of course much depends on what happens up front, and the battle of the scrums should send earth tremors across the Downs. These two teams, along with the Perth Spirit, have probably the strongest scrummaging units of the competition, so the challenge at scrum time will be worth the price of admission alone.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Tupou on the bench for Country. Will be worth the admission price just to see him get on the field.

 

[Dctarget]

Tupou on the bench for Country. Will be worth the admission price just to see him get on the field.

I really hope people have realistic expectations of him. He is very talented but he's still pretty much a kid with a lot of things to learn.

Don't be dismayed when he doesn't make barn-storming runs from the get go.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Pity Criff Tupou is injured. Would have been interesting to see the Brothers from Brothers go head to head.

 

[TOCC]

I really hope people have realistic expectations of him. He is very talented but he's still pretty much a kid with a lot of things to learn.

Don't be dismayed when he doesn't make barn-storming runs from the get go.

Exactly, he is still an 18yr old kid playing in one of the most technically demanding positions on the field.. People need some expectation management for the young fella.

 

[FilthRugby]

Looking forward to Nela Tupou having a big game. He's coming back from a shoulder injury/niggle.

Regardless of the result, the last fixture at Ballymore was awesome.

Hopefully many Toowoomba locals turn up to watch.

 

[kiap]

Trophy up for grabs:

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Meat Pie for DK. Back to his trademark best with one handed carry off the back of the scrum and barges over the stripe.

Greene nails the extras. QC (Quade Cooper) 8 BC 0

 

[Hugh Jarse]

12 minutes: Alex Gibbon crosses for a meat pie for City. Well set up by KHunt.

QC (Quade Cooper) 8 - BC 5 after McIntyre misses conversion.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Great battle in the scrums. Concrete mixers vs Bulldozers.
26 minutes gone. No change to the score.

 

[FilthRugby]

Hi Hugh, how's the battle of the fly-half's going?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

32 minutes. Chris F-S off looking a bit drowsy. Radieke Samo still off the field. Probs failed concussion test.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Hi Hugh, how's the battle of the fly-half's going?

Both have made a couple of mistakes with their kicking game. On attack and D they look OK: composed and confident. Reds will be well served for years if they can keep hold of both.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Meat pie for Hyne (#4) for BC. Simple three step affair off a flat cut out pass from Jake Mac.

BC 13 QC (Quade Cooper) 8. 2 1/2 minutes to go to oranges.

Edit: Oranges now. no change to the score.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Perese possible knee injury. Up and Limping so maybe not a season ender just a knock.

 

[Dctarget]

Lovely try from BC. Shows how important it is to have runners off Kerevi, he might not make the break every time, but he draws a lot of players in.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Junior Laloifi gets a meat pie off a Lineout set piece move. Well set up by 14 Kuridrani.

Kick is good from McIntyre. City 21 Country 8. 48 minutes gone.

Perese leaves the oval limping. Could be bad.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Solid goal line defence from City repelling multiple Country darts. Penalty to Country who elect a scrum option, 5 metres out near the uprights.

 

[Dctarget]

Liam Gill gets a try over his reds team mate FTS from a line out move from 5m out.

Few seconds later, QC (Quade Cooper) hot on attack just off BC's try line when the ball pops out of a ruck, cleaned up by Junior Laloifi who runs the length of the field to score, promptly converted by Mcintyre.

16-34.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Lost my live feed. You're in the good hands of @Dctarget now.