NRC Rnd 7: Perth Spirit v NSW Country Eagles

[Hugh Jarse]

Where: McGillivray Fields, UWA Park, Perth
When: Sunday 4 October, Kick off at 3:00pm Perth time (6:00 pm AEST)

Match Referee: Damien Mitchelmore
Assistant Referees: Graham Cooper, Pat Davis

Broadcast Information: foxsports.com.au and FOX SPORTS NOW

2015 Perth Spirit Guide: LLLLWW
2015 NSW Country Eagles Form Guide: WLBWLL

Last Time They Met: 18/10/14; NSW Country Eagles 40 - 34 Perth Spirit; Caltex Park, Dubbo

Match Notes: Perth Spirit's Ian Prior is the competition's most accurate kicker, scoring 15 of 16 conversions (94%) so far this season. For both sides, this game is must-win if they are to keep their finals aspirations alive for another week.

G&GR Preview (@Rugby Reg) says: http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/nrc-round-7-preview-2/
Last week may well have been a defining weekend for both of these teams. The Spirit defeated the mighty Melbourne Rising in such an impressive manner that many experts believe they are now finals bound.
Meanwhile the NSW Country Eagles suffered an upset loss to Queensland Country in the rain of Newcastle. The loss drops them into seventh place on the ladder and may have been enough to move them out of contention for a finals berth.
Key Matchups:
Jono Lance and Luke Burton should face-off in the number 10 jersey this weekend. They will do so again in numerous Western Force training sessions in the lead up to the 2016 super Rugby season. Whilst marquee signing Peter Grant will come into contention, let’s call this an early trial match between the two flyhalf candidates.
In Ross Haylett-Petty and Tom Staniforth this weekend we get to see two of the future lock stars of Australian rugby. Haylett-Petty has spent plenty of time in the back row previously but may however, moving forward, be more of a factor playing lock. Staniforth plays a very similar game to Ross albeit with a more of a traditional lock background. Both are superbly skilled, enthusiastic, strong as oxen and ready to rumble.


Teams

Perth Spirit
1. Chris HEIBERG
2. Heath TESSMANN
3. Oliver HOSKINS
4. Ross HAYLETT-PETTY
5. Rory WALTON
6. Kane KOTEKA
7. Richard HARDWICK
8. Angus COTTRELL
9. Ian PRIOR
10. Luke BURTON
11. Brad LACEY
12. Solomoni RASOLEA
13. Maalonga KONELIO
14. Faamanatu APINERU
15. Albert NIKORO

16. Harry SCOBLE
17. Joe SAVAGE
18. Jermaine AINSLEY
19. Adrian HALL
20. Pierre ROBERTS
21. Michael RURU
22. Byron HUTCHINSON
23. Daley HARPER

NSW Country Eagles
1. Dane MARAKI
2. Tom SEXTON
3. Dave FAEO
4. Sam LOUSI
5. Tom STANIFORTH
6. Beau ROBINSON
7. Mark BALDWIN
8. Sam FIGG
9. Mitch SHORT
10. Jono LANCE
11. Charlie CLIFTON
12. Dave HORWITZ
13. Ed STUBBS
14. Jarome McKENZIE
15. Andrew KELLAWAY

16. Peter NAU
17. Jerome VAAI
18. Andrew COLLINS
19. Nick PALMER
20. BJ EDWARDS
21. Angus PULVER
22. Tom MERRITT
23. Jack PENNINGTON

http://www.rugby.com.au/nrc/Article...Teams-named-for-do-or-die-clash-in-Perth.aspx

 

[qwerty51]

Kellaway 16 - Perth Spirit 0.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Yellow Card for Ed Stubbs at the 32 minute mark.

Try to Junior Rasolea, close to the posts.

Eagles 16 Perth 8 after conversion is kicked by Prior.

 

[qwerty51]

Red card for #12 Spirit Rasolea. Pretty harsh.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Try to MacKenzie for the Eagles, Converted by Lance.

Oranges.
Eagles 24 (D. Horwitz (20), A Kellaway (25), J. MacKenzie (39) tries; J, Lance (21), (27), (40) cons)
Spirit 8 (J. Rasolea (34) Try; I. Prior (35) Con)

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Try to Olly Hoskins for the Spirit.

Massive Prop's sprint from all of 3 metres out.

Ian Prior converts.

NSW 24 Perth 16 at 43 minutes.

Luke Burton leaves injured. Michael Ruru is on as a replacement. Prior moves out to #10.

48 minutes: Heath Tessmann bags some meat with a dash from 22 metres out to level scores after Ian Prior Converts.
56 minutes: Dan Marakai shown the cheese for cynical maul infringement.
59 minutes: Try time for Perth. Richard Hardwick crosses the stripe. Conversion misses from out wide. 29-24 to Perth
Subs: Richard Hardwick (PER) [20 Roberts on] and Tom Sexton (NSW) [16 P Nau on] off.

61 minutes: Ed Stubbs bags some meat out wide. Lance nails the extras for Eagles to retake the lead. NSW 32 Per 29
65 minutes. Subs galore as benches are getting emptied. Light drizzle being reported.
66 minutes. Pulver on, Short off. Marakai back on from Naughty Boys chair.
72 minutes. Huge ruck turnover to the Eagles on their line after multiple pick and goes by Perth to try and score. That may be costly for Perth.
78 minutes. Scrum penalty to Perth. They go for the lineout on the 22 metres line. Another Penalty for Perth. Quick tap and Perth nearly go over but a pass from Harper goes into touch. Eagles lineout.
Sir blows No game.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda for Perth but they just lacked the killer punch to put the game away.

NSW Country Eagles take the chocolates and move into fourth place on the ladder on 13 points.
Perth Spirit drop back to 6th place on 11 points after taking a "close but no bananas" BP.


Game Summary:
NSW Country Eagles 32 (D. Horwitz (20), A Kellaway (25), J. MacKenzie (39), E Stubbs (62) tries; J, Lance (21), (27), (40), (63) cons) defeated
Perth Spirit 29 (J. Rasolea (34), O. Hoskins (43), H. Tessmann (48) R. Hardwick (59) tries; I. Prior (35), (44), (49) Cons)