NRC Rnd 7: Sydney Stars v Brisbane City

[Hugh Jarse]

Where: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
When: Friday 2 October, Kick off at 7:30pm AEST

Match Referee: Will Houston
Assistant Referees: Ed Martin, James Leckie

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

2015 Sydney Stars Form Guide: WWWWWB
2015 Brisbane City Form Guide: WWWLLW

Last Time They Met: 21/08/14; Brisbane City 45 - 20 Sydney Stars; Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

At Stake: Horan-Little Shield

Match Notes: Sydney Stars' Harry Jones is the 2015 competition top try scorer after scoring a hat-trick in his sides win over the Rams last Sunday. The Horan-Little Shield will be on the line with Brisbane City looking to win their Buildcorp NRC winning streak to ten.


G&GR Preview (@RugbyReg) says (http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/nrc-round-7-preview-2/):
This clash opened the 2014 NRC season and while the game was free-flowing, the contest was disappointing. This week’s clash should be less so. This time Brisbane sit in second spot and Sydney are one spot behind them so the battle will be intense. To add to the significance of the clash, it is also a Horan Little Shield Challenge match.
Brisbane City remain competition high flyers and are undefeated, despite sitting in second spot. The Spirit have been somewhat inconsistent so far in 2015, but can beat anyone on their day. Will this be their day though?
Key Matchups:
If you were to pick an overall team of the tournament you’d have a strong argument to select a lock combination of Matt Phillip from the Stars to partner Brisbane’s Caderyn Neville. The two tall timbers have been vital men in their respective teams’ success so far. Philip being a workhorse in tight and Neville being a surprisingly effective ball runner.
At scrum-half, Nick Frisby faces up to Jake Gordon. Frisby has not been as dominant as in 2014 but has marshalled his team mates extremely well. Sydney’s game has relied on Gordon’s strong link work between his forwards and backs. Both nines have enjoyed playing behind dominant packs so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top this weekend.


Teams

Sydney Stars
1. Jeremy TILSE
2. Tolu LATU
3. Chris TALAKAI
4. Matt PHILIP
5. Senio TOLEOFOA
6. Rohan O'REGAN
7. Jordan TUAPOU
8. Jake WAINWRIGHT
9. Jake GORDON
10. Jordan McGREGOR
11. Harry JONES
12. Andrew ROBINSON
13. Jim STEWART
14. John HALE
15. Tom KINGSTON

16. Tom COOLICAN
17. Alasdair KING
18. Kirwan SANDAY
19. Tipaloma KAVENIGA
20. Ofa FINAU
21. Richard DRAPER
22. Christian KAGIASSIS
23. Christian YASSMIN

Brisbane City
1. Pettowa PARAKA
2. Andrew READY
3. Sam TALAKAI
4. Corey THOMAS
5. Cadeyrn NEVILLE
6. Luke BEAUCHAMP
7. Waita SETU
8. Scott HIGGINBOTHAM
9. Nick FRISBY
10. Jake McINTYRE
11. Junior LALOIFI
12. Henry TAEFU
13. Samu KEREVI
14. Chris KURIDRANI
15. Karmichael HUNT

16. Matt MAFI
17. Ryan FRENEY
18. Feao FOTUAIKA
19. Ben HYNE
20. Michael RICHARDS
21. Moses SOROVI
22. James DALGLEISH
23. Alex GIBBON

http://www.rugby.com.au/nrc/Article...e-name-sides-for-Friday-Leichhardt-clash.aspx

 

[Brumby Runner]

This is my tip to be the boil over of the round. Stars to deny the Vikings the opportunity to play for the GAGR (sorry - HORAN LITTLE Shield) next week.

On another note, I expect to see Arnold/Enever finish in front of all other lock combinations by the end of the comp.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Heading off early away for long weekend so won't be able to go to this game - on paper BRC should run away from Stars - 20+ points my prediction....would be big upset of the season if Stars got up...

 

[Jagman]

If Stars can manage the unlikely upset they will keep Horan-Little shield till next year as they have a bye and an away game remaining.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Team Rehab Selectors seem to have been pretty aggressive in Sydney, across all 4 NRC Teams.

A few names I am not all that familiar with in the Stars. Google tells me this:
Senio TOLEOFOA - Aust U20 2013, Samoa U20 2012, Rams NRC 2014, Tuggeranong Vikings 2015
Kirwan SANDAY - Fiji U20 2011, Reds A 2014, Easts (Brisbane) 2015 http://www.redsrugby.com.au/NRC/nrcplayerprofile.aspx?pid=268. On loan from Qld Cnty?
Jordan TUAPOU - Aust Schoolboy Capt 2009, Aust 7's 2011-2014, Sunnybank 2015. http://theateamsports.com/portfolio-item/jordan-tuapou/


How about Talakai vs Talakai in the front rows? They will not be directly opponents at scrum time as they are both listed as tighthead, but a set of Cauliflower Club bros going hammer and tongs against each other would be worth the price of admission.

City should have too much horsepower and experience for the Stars to claim victory and the H-L Shield, especially in their Hairdressing division. Stars will have to be absolutely on top of their game for the full 80 minutes to have any chance of avoiding a Vikings like shellacking.

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Team Rehab Selectors seem to have been pretty aggressive in Sydney, across all 4 NRC Teams.

A few names I am not all that familiar with in the Stars. Google tells me this:
Senio TOLEOFOA - Aust U20 2013, Samoa U20 2012, Rams NRC 2014, Tuggeranong Vikings 2015

Toleofoa played with Penrith in the Shute Shield in 2014.

 

[Ash]

Brisbane City up 37 - 0 after 20 minutes. Predictions of an upset may be a little of.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I don't think anyone seriously was thinking of an upset...but gees not the belting the Stars are getting either...

I switched over to Vikings vs Rising game after we reached 29-0

Suggest we need to rationalise Sydney sides from 4 to 3 next year as we can't support 4/10's of competition sides given our ordinary NSW rugby admin wise is and secondly how ordinary sydney market is in terms of going out and supporting sport compared to victorian and queensland markets.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Vikings vs BRC dead cert for final....

Can't pick who would win out of these two sides.....

 

[kiap]

That was brutal.

First time anyone's been nilled in the NRC.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

They were lucky to get nil.

Second half was a slightly better performance from the Stars, but City may have just eased off a little having established a 50 points lead.

Record margin is still the 60 points loss vs the Vikings.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

@rugbysmartarse takes the Horan-Little Shield Presentation dress standards established by @Rugby Reg and @Daz to a new level. #SydneyCasual

Pic: @BuildCorpNRC twitter

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Well that was a shalacking - after 29-0 turned off and watched Rising vs Viking game....

Stars may get in the final 4 but will be cannon fodder for other finalists.

Why is players like Dennis not playing - is he injured?