NRC Semi-Final 1 - Vikings v Rising

[oztimmay]

Rising have lost Jones, Shipperly to injury. Cummings starts at 6 and Douglas comes into the bench.

Vilitati starts on the left wing, Ili moves to the right wing and Masters moves to the bench. Johansson moved to IC, Tuipulotu moves to OC.

Will be a tough match for the Rising. They should win by 10 points.


Melbourne Rising vs. UC Vikings NRC Semi Final, Friday October 23rd, 2015
1. Cruze Ah-Nau (Footscray & Rebels, 14 Melbourne Rising caps)
2. Pat Leafa (Box Hill & Rebels, 16 Melbourne Rising caps)
3. Duncan Chubb (Southern Districts (NSW), 8 Melbourne Rising caps)
4. Sam Jeffries (Melbourne Uni & Rebels, 16 Melbourne Rising caps)
5. Lopeti Timani (Footscray & Rebels, 13 Melbourne Rising caps)
6. Steve Cummins (Harlequin & Rebels, 8 Melbourne Rising caps)
7. Jordy Reid (Melbourne Unicorns & Rebels, 8 Melbourne Rising caps)
8. Colby Fainga’a (Footscray & Rebels, 7 Melbourne Rising caps) (Captain)
9. Ben Meehan (Box Hill & Rebels, 11 Melbourne Rising caps)
10. Jack Debreczeni (Endeavour Hills & Rebels, 17 Melbourne Rising caps)
11. Filipe Vilitati (Box Hill, 4 Melbourne Rising caps)
12. Lloyd Johansson (Harlequin, 17 Melbourne Rising caps)
13. Sione Tuipulotu (Southern Districts, 8 Melbourne Rising caps)
14. Stacey Ili (Melbourne Uni, 7 Melbourne Rising caps)
15. Jonah Placid (Melbourne Uni & Rebels, 15 Melbourne Rising caps)
16. Mitch Andrews (Melbourne Unicorns, 4 Melbourne Rising caps)
17. Mike Tyler (Power House, 2 Melbourne Rising caps)
18. Tom Moloney (Brothers (QLD), 6 Melbourne Rising caps)
19. Murray Douglas (Harlequin, 4 Melbourne Rising caps)
20. Pom Simona (Harlequin, 13 Melbourne Rising caps)
21. Maradona Farao (Harlequin, 4 Melbourne Rising caps)
22. Taiso Silafai-Leaana (Melbourne Uni)*
23. Justin Marsters (Harlequin, 6 Melbourne Rising caps)

http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/news/article/hilton-names-rising-side-for-nrc-semi-final

 

[Brumby Jack]

Vikings side

1. Allan Ala'alatoa
2. Robbie Abel
3. Ben Alexander
4. Rory Arnold
5. Blake Enever
6. Dean Oakman-Hunt
7. Jarrad Butler (c)
8. Ita Vaea
9. Joe Powell
10. Christian Lealiifano
11. Lausii Taliauli
12. Rodney Iona
13. Nigel Ah Wong
14. James Dargaville
15. Isaac Thompson

RESERVES

1. Albert Anae
2. Sione Taula
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Michael Oakman-Hunt
5. Rowan Perry
6. Brent Hamlin
7. Mitch Third
8. Francis Fainifo

 

[qwerty51]

Where's Smiler, Makin and Toua?

 

[RugbyReg]

Smiler is off on personal reasons.

Makin is injured and you can expect Aidan is probably as well

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Strong looking Rising mob, but they just haven't really clicked this year, and they have been a bit like World Rugby - consistently inconsistent.

If they can maintain their intensity and focus, the Vikings will be in for a torrid time, but ... ... ... they really haven't managed to have a complete game so far this season so there is no reason to suggest that they will do so on Friday night.

Comparatively speaking the Vikings bench looks to be a level up in terms of experience over the Rising, and it is likely that the Scoreboard attendant will get quite busy in the last 1/4 of this game as the benches are emptied.

Vikings will miss Smiler, but there squad looks very solid from 1-23. Even their young'uns like Perry, Lomax and Third have been playing good footy and will not look out of place in a NRC semi final match.

This will probably put the mocker on them, but the Vikings should storm home by >25 points.

 

[Dctarget]

Biggest match of Sione's life so far. Very impressive for the young 18 year old. Good luck bud

 

[Brumby Runner]

Sione Taula or Sione Tuipolotu? Assume Taula as Tuipolotu has played big matches at U20s.

If Sione Taula, is he really only 18yo? He is a very large lad but young to be playing prop at this level.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

It will be Tuipolotu that @DCtarget is referring to.

Sione Taula is down as a 30 year old (DOB 6 August 1985) according to Vikings web site.

 

[Dctarget]

It will be Tuipolotu that @DCtarget is referring to.

Sione Taula is down as a 30 year old (DOB 6 August 1985) according to Vikings web site.

Yep, my bad. Should've specified.

U20s were big matches but if I'm not mistaken they didn't progress to knock out rounds?

Either way, good on him for getting so far so quickly.

 

[humanbeast]

Is there way to stream the finals online? Im currently in England for the world cup.

 

[Mortal Wombat]

It doesn't look like it. I pay for the fox news stream, and it's not working, and neither are shadier sites.

 

[TOCC]

Only if you have Foxtel Go, but even then Foxtel Go is geo-blocked to Australia..

Melbourne Rising are currently leading the Vikings 26-21, we could have an upset on the cards here.

 

[kiap]

---------------


Vikings just holding a lead, 37-34 at the hour mark.

Only a missed conversion in it, 5 tries apiece!

 

[kiap]

Vikings score off the back of a scrum, uncoverted. Eight point ballgame, one try in it.

42-34

@ 63 mins

 

[ACT Crusader]

Good win to the Vikings. Thought Robbie Abel played well in a dominant scrum display as well as around the park.

 

[kiap]

 

[qwerty51]

Surely Houston is wrong about awarding that penalty to the Rising for the Vikings trainer touching the ball on their throw in? Madness.

 

[Dctarget]

I

Surely Houston is wrong about awarding that penalty to the Rising for the Vikings trainer touching the ball on their throw in? Madness.

I thought that was one of the new laws introduced no?

 

[Ash]

Thought the biggest difference between the two teams was the set piece, especially scrum.

 

[qwerty51]

I thought that was one of the new laws introduced no?

If it was the Rising's throw in definitely but on the Vikings throw in?

Colby Fainga'a had a 10/10 game. Once in a life time.