It looks like it’s family round this weekend for the NRC, with the two Sydney games being themed as such. And why wouldn’t you take your family out to watch the NRC? Plenty of fun and activities for the kids on outside of the field and PUH-LENTY of fun and activities for the fans on the inside of the field. With all these RWC matches going on in the middle of the night, what better chance is there to get out and see some live rugby than Round 6 of the NRC. Let’s take a look at what to expect.
NSW County Eagles (5th) v Queensland Country (8th)
Thursday 24 September at Newcastle Sports Ground (Newcastle). Kick off 7:30pm
The annual Country Clash gets the prime time treatment this year with plenty to peak the interests of rugby fans. NSW Country look set to be making a charge to the finals having seemingly rested a number of key players for last week’s clash with Brisbane City. Andrew Kellaway, Ed Stubbs, Charlie Clifton, Mark Baldwin and Tom Sexton are all back in the starting side, along with the previously suspended Tom Staniforth whilst Beau Robinson will make his long awaited debut against his former team mates.
On the other end of the spectrum Qld Country have called on the reinforcements as their terrible run of injuries continues. Key players Sam Greene, Haydn Hirsimaki and Saia Fainga’a are all out and are significant blows to Queensland’s hopes of securing their second win of the season. On the flip side there is now some exciting young talent to keep an eye out for in the squad. 19 year old Taniela Tupou will make his starting debut at tight head prop whilst schoolboy sensation (and team mate of Iziah Perese), Mack Mason, thought to be lost to the Melbourne Storm, will debut from the bench.
Can I finish with the suggestion that this game need’s its own trophy. The Border Challenge? The Mugindi Cup, or perhaps the Mugindi Mug?
Key Matchups:
As mentioned above Dubbo boy, Beau Robinson, will make his first appearance for the Eagles on Thursday night having played for Queensland Country last year. Not only will he be up against his former Queensland team mates but also his fellow Souths Magpie in James Turner. It was only about a month ago the two would have been celebrating the Magpie’s premiership win over Easts. They will now go at each other hammer and tong on Thursday night as they each know no other way. And then probably get back to celebrating the premiership after the game.
Dave Horwitz has been a wonderful foil for his higher profile flyhalf, Jono Lance, this season. A snappy distributer with quick feet, it’s his physicality that has caught the eye of observers. Well he’ll need to be very physical this week as he faces up to Lagi Setu. Setu was a Australian Schoolboy alongside the likes of David Pocock, Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper and James O’Connor – as a backrower. A move to the NRL where he played for Dragons, Broncos, Storm and Roosters has seemingly ended with a move to the centres and a NRC starting debut.
2015 Form:
NSW Country – WLBWL
QLD Country – LLLWL
Tip: Eagles by 21
NSW Country: 1 Jerome Vaai, 2 Tom Sexton, 3 Dave Faeo, 4 Tom Staniforth, 5 Sam Louisi, 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 Jerome McKenzie, 15 Andrew Kellaway.
16 Peter Nau, 17 Dane Maraki, 18 Andrew Collins, 19 Nick Palmer, 20 BJ Edwards, 21 Angus Pulver, 22 Will Fray, 23 Jack Pennington
QLD Country: 1. Sef Fa’agase, 2. Alex Mafi, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Tyrell Barker, 5. Phil Potgieter, 6. Maclean Jones, 7. Conor Mitchell, 8. James Turner, 9. James Tuttle, 10. Dion Taumata, 11. Pierce Fitzgerald, 12. Lagi Setu, 13. Tyrone Lefau, 14. Tom Banks, 15. Elliott Hagen
16. Campbell Wakely, 17. AJ Campbell, 18. Andrew Parker, 19. Sam Reiser, 20. Jack Cornelsen, 21. Scott Malolua, 22. Mack Mason, 23. Matt Gordon
North Harbour Rays (7th) v Canberra Vikings (1st)
Saturday 26 September at Pittwater Rugby Park (Sydney). Kick off 3:00pm
The Rays had the bye last weekend and I’d suggest at least the coaches spent their weekend watching replays of the Vikings’ 70 point thrashing of the Stars looking for some type of weakness. North Harbour have shown plenty of guts this season beating the Spirit in Perth and showing glimpses of class against the likes of the Stars, Brisbane and Rising. They’ll have to show a lot more than just glimpses this week against the undefeated Canberrians.
The Vikings were nigh on unstoppable against the Sydney Stars last Thursday. It was as if they sensed that the injury-riddled Stars were vulnerable and decided to apply the killer blow to their season. It’s a situation very similar to this weekend as the Rays have also suffered numerous injuries, with Jack Dempsey and Tyson Davis the most recent members of Team Rehab.
It’s also worth noting that this will be Juniors Day with all the junior rugby players from clubs affiliated with the North Harbour Rays encouraged to come along. There will be Rays t-shirt giveaways and plenty of activities.
Key Matchups:
Joe Powell was in everything last Thursday night for the Vikings in what was probably ideal scrumhalf conditions. A dominant pack, a test standard flyhalf and a team in complete control. Powell relished the occasion and was a constant danger. Josh Holmes has been, arguably, the form scrumhalf of the competition so far and anyone who has yet to see his miked up game on NRC Extra Time needs to rectify that immediately. This clichéd young bull v old bull clash will be a weekend highlight.
In a competition that is jam packed with high quality backrowers, and prominent try scorers at that, two of the standouts have been Boyd Killingworth for the Rays and Jared Butler for the Vikings. Killingworth has been the heart and soul of the Rays pack and a constant as names have fallen by the wayside around him. Vikings captain Butler has had the benefit of consistency and class around him, but his quality his undoubted.
2015 Form:
Rays – LWLLB
Vikings – BWWWW
Tip: Vikings by 18
Rays: 1. Mitch Lewis, 2. Luke Holmes (C), 3. Alex Holmes, 4. Ruairidh Wilson, 5. Ryan Melrose, 6. Harry Bergelin, 7. Boyd Killingworth, 8. Harry Rorke, 9. Josh Holmes, 10. Sam Lane, 11. John Porch, 12. Reece Hodge, 13. Dennis Pili-Gaitau, 14. Michael Adams, 15. Hamish Angus.
16. Vance Elliott, 17. Nick Fraser, 18. Lawrance Hunting, 19. Cameron Treloar, 20. Mitch Daniel, 21. Tim Donlan, 22. Tom Hill, 23. Sione Ala
Vikings: 1. Allan Alaalatoa, 2. Albert Anae, 3. Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Blake Enever, 6. Jordan Smiler, 7. Jarrad Butler (c), 8. Ita Vaea,9. Joe Powell, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Jerome Nuimata, 12. Rodney Iona, 13. Nigel Ah Wong, 14. James Dargaville, 15. Aidan Toua
16. Robbie Abel , 17. Sione Taula, 18. Tyrel Lomax, 19. Dean Oakman-Hunt, 20. Rowan Perry, 21. Brent Hamlin, 22. Isaac Thompson, 23. Frankie Fainifo
Perth Spirit (6th) v Melbourne Rising (4th)
Saturday 26 September at UWA Sports Park (Perth). Kick off 3:30pm (Local Time)
This time last year the Rising was on the charge and everyone’s tip as the inaugural NRC Premiers. They smashed basically every team they played on their way to the Minor Premiership, securing maximum points in each game. 2015 has been a little more challenging. They’ve only lost the one game, the Brisbane City in Round 2, but their losses have all been close with the largest winning margin being 8 points in their first round win against Queensland Country.
2014 surprise Grand Finalists, the Perth Spirit have only just won their first game of the season – a 64-34 thrashing of Queensland Country (leading 40-8 at half time). It may be just the performance, on a long road trip, that will spur the Spirit on to another challenge on the finals series. I’m predicting this, my match of the round, will be the Spirit’s season defining performance with an upset on the cards.
Key Matchups:
I don’t want to be repetitive but I have to go with the scrumhalf battle again. Ian Prior had a masterful game last weekend against Queensland Country and scored an NRC record 29 points, thanks to a try and eight conversions. Ben Meehan started the season with a burst and has settled into the Rising starting side quite easily. A somewhat unhappy outing last week against the Rays will need to be turned around in Perth to keep Prior corralled and the Spirit on the back foot.
My apologies, but I’m going clichéd again here and going for the backrow battle. I only do it because both teams have such a wonderful backrow combination that are both so critical to their respective performances. For the Rising they have had consistency through Colby Fainga’a, Jordy Reid and Scott Fugistaller for most of the season, with Lopeti Timani having his first run at No 8 last weekend. The backrow has always been a strength of the Force and it remains so for the Spirit. No matter what combination they go for this weekend (Cottrell, Alcock, Koteka, Hardwick, Seumanutafa, et al), if they manage to click as a unit they will create concern for the opposition – on both sides of the ball.
2015 Form:
Spirit – LLLLW
Rising – WLWBW
Tip: Spirit by 4
Spirit: 1. Chris Heiberg, 2. Heath Tessmann (C), 3. Tetera Faulkner, 4. Adrian Hall, 5. Ross Haylett-Petty, 6. Kane Koteka, 7 Richard Hardwick, 8. Angus Cottrell, 9. Ryan Louwrens, 10. Luke Burton, 11. Brad Lacey, 12. Kyle Godwin, 13. Solomoni Rasolea, 14. Maalonga Konelio, 15. Byron Hutchinson
16. Anaru Rangi, 17. Francois van Wyk, 3. Jermaine Ainsley, 19. Riley Winter, 20. Alex Rovira, 21. Ian Prior, 22. Faamanatu Apineru, 23. Daley Harper
Rising: 1. Cruze Ah-Nau, 2. Pat Leafa, 3. Duncan Chubb, 4. Sam Jeffries, 5. Luke Jones, 6. Jordy Reid, 7. Scott Fuglistaller (C), 8. Lopeti Timani, 9. Ben Meehan, 10. Jack Debreczeni, 11. Stacey Ili, 12. Lloyd Johansson, 13. Dom Shipperley, 14. Tom English, 15. Jonah Placid.
16. Mitch Andrews, 17. Fereti Sa’aga, 18. Tom Moloney, 19. Steve Cummins, 20. Colby Fainga’a, 21. Maradona Farao, 22. Sione Tuipulotu, 23. Justin Marsters,
Sydney Stars (3rd) v Greater Sydney Rams (9th)
Sunday 27 September at Leichhardt Oval (Sydney). Kick off 3:00pm
Normally you’d think a matchup between the third placed team and one on the bottom of the ladder would be a foregone conclusion. Not this week I predict. The Sydney Stars starting the season blazing, catching many people on the hop given their dire 2014. Unfortunately injury and representative selection has challenged their depth and two losses in two weeks is a big concern. Actually a concern is a bit of an understatement considering they had almost 80 points put on them in their last outing.
The Rams are yet to win a game but can still take some positive out of there season so far, and enough to give them some hope for this weekend. Sure they’ve lost all four of their games however they’ve only been well beaten once (against the Vikings in Round 3). In the first round they went down to the Eagles by one point, went down by six to Queensland Country in round four, before leading against the Rising into the last ten minutes last weekend only to lose by a converted try on the bell. Whilst the Stars will have doubt creeping in, the Rams will have plenty of belief as they face off on Sunday.
As well as being a cracking local derby clash, it is also the Sydney Stars Family Day down at Leichhardt, with a jumping castle and face painting and all that type of stuff. Another great initiative by these NRC clubs to attract more people to their games..
Key Matchups:
With his rugby league backrgound and 7s experience, Paul Asquith of the Rams obviously has some attacking skills. At the start of the season he demonstrated this from fullback but in recent weeks has moved into outside centre to try and get his hands on the ball more and has proved just as dangerous. Jim Stewart will be out there to shut him down on Sunday, and put Asquith under pressure with his own strong play. Stewart, contracted to the Tahs for next year, was one of the stand outs for the Stars last year and has continued to shine in 2015.
The verstality of Jeremy Tilse is enough to stand him apart as a player. Tilse has spent the last couple of games packing in at lock for the Stars and still performing pretty well. Injuries have basically demanded the Waratah veteran move to lock but he’s back where he’d prefer to be, in the front row. For the Rams Jed Gillespie did his best to perhaps show some of his own versatility in scoring a try last week that a winger would have been proud of. But in reality Gillespie is as old school prop that you can get, with some handy skills a nice add-on. Tough as they come and a vital man in this Rams outfit.
2015 Form:
Stars – WWWLL
Rams – LBLLL
Tip: Rams by 8
Stars: 1. Jeremy Tilse, 2. James Hanson, 3 .Tom Robertson, 4. Senio Toleafoa, 5. Matt Philip, 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. Tolu Latu, 19. Alasdair King, 18. Chris Talakai, 19. Tipiloma Kaveinga, 20. Ofa Finau, 21. Michael Kovacic, 22. Richard Draper, 23. Christian Kagiassis
Rams: 1 Jed Gillespie, 2 Siliva Siliva, 3 Cam Betham, 4 Fili Tufui, 5 Marcus Carbone, 6 Kelly Meafau, 7 Cohen Masson, 8 Jed Holloway (C), 9 Dewet Roos, 10 Jai Ayoub, 11 Brad Curtis, 12 Michael McDougall, 13 Paul Asquith, 14 Matt Teki, 15 Brenden Hartmann
16 Cameron Orr, 17 Max Holland, 18 Sam Needs, 19 Will Munro, 20 Jono Hayes, 21 Taylor Adams, 22 Rohan Saifoloi, 23 Jordan Heyer
Brisbane City (1st) have the Bye
