The new 2016 streamlined version of the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship kicks off this weekend, and once again Green and Gold will be doing our best to cover all games. For those of you struggling to get excited about Australian Rugby at the moment, given all that’s happened this year, then I’d strongly recommend the NRC as the perfect antidote.
Let’s look at this week’s match ups as part of our NRC 2016 Round 1 preview.
Perth Spirit v Melbourne Rising (streamed via foxsports.com.au)
Saturday 27 August at UWA Sports Park (Perth). Kick-off 11:00am (local time)
Perth get to host the opening match of the 2016 NRC season with a (rivalry?) match up against the Melbourne Rising. The early start is an unknown quantity but provides local rugby fans to get out in force and cheer on their Spirit team against another expansion side off-shoot, the Melbourne Rising. Massive kudos must go to all involved in Western Australian Rugby in deciding that there would be free entry to all Spirit home games. Hopefully it sees that passionate Perth rugby community come out in numbers and make a strong case for the retention of elite rugby on the west coast. Fill that Hill!
The Spirit have continued their NRC approach by sprinkling Super Rugby players across a team with a heap of home grown and club talent. 2015 NRC Player of the Year, Jono Lance, makes his Spirit deput as captain and will be crucial in dictating how his team’s first outing goes. Outside him he has a powerful centre combination of Ben Tapuai and Billy Meakes, with Luke Morahan on the wing. Inside (besides the powerful and pacey scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens) he’s got some raw young forwards including the powerful Onehunga Havilli (a winger last year, No 8 this) and flamed haired hooker, Harry Scoble.
As anticipated the Rising have a super rugby heavy outfit with much reliant on the the ability of the ‘syllable twins’ (Stirzaker & Debreczeni) to get the pack working and their backs running. A centre combo of big Sefa Naivalu (edging closer to Wallaby eligibility) and the exciting young Sione Tuipulotu ensures the mid-field battle will be an epic one. Up front, most of the pack have handy Super Rugby experience with the exception being Rob Leota and Harley Fox in the backrow. Fox and Leota have both come through the Australian Rugby pathways (Leota in Victoria and Fox in Queensland) and are both keenly regarded and high impact players. The pack is solid enough without the dynamic impact of the likes of Lopeti Timani, Luke Jones or Sean McMahon of years gone past.
Perth Spirit: 1. Mees Erasmus, 2. Harry Scoble, 3. Jermaine Ainsley, 4. Kieran Stringer, 5. Grayson Knapp, 6. Brynard Stander, 7. Richard Hardwick, 8. Onehunga Havilli, 9. Ryan Louwrens, 10. Jono Lance, 11. Eric Vasukicakau, 12. Ben Tapuai, 13. Billy Meakes, 14. Luke Morahan, 15. Manihera Eden
Replacements: 16. Tom Sheminant 17. Laione Mulikihaamea 18. Shambeckler Vui 19. Kane Koteka 20. Hadleigh May 21. Michael Ruru 22. Aj Alatimu 23. Ammon Matuauto
Melbourne Rising: 1. Cruze Ah Nau, 2. Pat Leafa, 3. Tim Metcher, 4. Sam Jeffries, 5. Steve Cummins, 6. Rob Leota, 7. Jordy Reid, 8. Harley Fox, 9. Nic Stirzaker, 10. Jack Debreczeni, 11. Tom English, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 13. Sefa Naivalu, 14. Ah-Mu Tuimalealiifano, 15. Jonah Placid
Replacements: 16. Jordan Uelese, 17. Tom Moloney, 18. Tyrel Lomax, 19. Alex Toolis, 20. Ikapote Tupai, 21. Ben Meehan, 22. Lloyd Johansson, 23. Taiso Silafai-Leaana
Referee: Graham Cooper
Assistant referees: Alexander Ninkov, Sam Jones
TIP: That extra Super Rugby combination should be enough for the away team – Melbourne Rising by 10
NSW Country Eagles v Brisbane City (broadcast live on Fox Sports)
Saturday 27 August at Sydney University (Sydney). Kick-off 3:00pm (local time)
It wasn’t pretty last time these two teams met as a red hot Brisbane racked up eight tries to win the match despite the Eagles building an early lead. Back in 2014 the end result was the same, on the two occasions these teams played, but the scores a lot closer. Brisbane had a memorable road trip to Lismore to pick up a 34-26 away win, before backing up and doing it again in the semi-finals securing a home Grand Final with a 32-26 win in Gosford. This will be the first time the Eagles have hosted Brisbane in Sydney and they will be hoping for a big local turn out as fans settle in for an arvo of high quality, free-flowing NRC rugby before the Wallabies take on the All Blacks in New Zealand. Tickets to the game are just $15 for adults, $10 for students and kids under 16 are free, so with plenty of music and entertainment on hand before the rugby, Sydney Uni should be buzzing come Saturday afternoon.
NSW Country’s hard working pack will need to be at their most industrious when they face off against Brisbane this weekend. The locking combination of Ned Hanigan and Tim Buchanan (a Brisbane City player in 2014) is evidence of the mobility of the pack as both have backrow credentials. The Robbie Deans strategy of squeezing 10s into the backline has been implemented Andrew Deegan Kyle Godwin David Horwitz all starting which could provide plenty of space for Super Rugby finishers Andrew Kellaway and Reece Robinson out wide.
The Brisbane City team is barely recogniseable from last year’s squad with injuries to Karmichael Hunt, Junior Laloifi and Jake McIntrye and a Wallaby squad call-up to Nick Frisby, severely denting the firepower of the backline. A young halves combo together with the club centre pairing may have to rely on their occasional Super Rugby wingers to provide the traditional Brisbane attacking spark. Up front, Brisbane’s strong scrum should continue to be so with a Super quality front three, whilst Michael Gunn and Leroy Houston fill the big boots of Liam Gill and Scott Higginbotham. Watch for the impact of Isi Naisarani and Levi Aumua from the bench.
NSW Country Eagles: 1 Sonny Suatala, 2 Tolu Latu, 3 Sam Needs, 4 Ned Hanigan, 5 Tim Buchanan, 6 Jake Wainwright, 7 Rowan Perry, 8 Sam Ward, 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Andrew Deegan, 11 Reece Robinson, 12 Kyle Godwin, 13 David Horwitz (C), 14 Alex Newsome, 15 Andrew Kellaway.
16 Clarrie Moore, 17 Jed Gillespie, 18 Cam Betham, 19 Ryan McCauley, 20 Sam Figg, 21 Mark Baldwin, 22 Tayler Adams, 23 Angus Roberts
Brisbane City: 1. Pettowa Paraka, 2. Andrew Ready, 3. Sam Talakai (C), 4. David Findlay-Henaway, 5. Lukhan Tui, 6. Luke Beauchamp, 7. Michael Gunn, 8. Leroy Houston, 9. Moses Sorovi, 10. Jake Strachan, 11. Alex Gibbon, 12. Nathan Russell, 13. Toby White, 14. Chris Kuridrani, 15. Patrick James.
Replacements: 16. Matt Mafi, 17. Markus Vanzati, 18. Feao Fotuaika, 19. Isi Naisarani, 20. Jack de Guingand, 21. Angus Fowler, 22. Levi Aumua, 23. Brad Lacey
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Amy Perrett, Charles Hartson
Television match official: Ian Smith
TIP: A lack of strike power for Brisbane will hurt them with the home team creating more attacking plays – NSW Country by 8
Sydney Rays v Western Sydney Rams (streamed via foxsports.com.au)
Sunday 28 August at North Sydney Oval (Sydney). Kick-off 1:00pm (local time)
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than getting along to one of the prettiest sporting ovals going around and watching a cracking NRC local derby? This match has a feel of the old silvertails v fibros of the early 80s NSWRL Manly v Wests games and who know what will come of it. The Rams actually have the edge in all encounters between these two sides, having not dropped a match to the Rays ever. After a draw in 2014, the Rams snagged their only win of 2015 with a tight 23-21 victory at Pirtek Stadium last year. The venue, hot on the heels of hosting a memorable Shute Shield Grand Final a couple of weeks ago, should be jumping again with Sydney based rugby fans as the best of that competition, with a sprinkling of external talent, come together to put on a show.
A heavy influence of the Shute Shield winning Northern Suburbs outfit provides a red and black streak across the first Rays team of the season. The return of former Waratah hooker Damien Fitzpatrick gives the Rays an impressive front row matched by a industrious backrow. Matty Lucas as skipper will provide the direction around the park but it will be in at centre, and specifically Irae Simone, that much attention will fall on. The Shute Shield Rookie of the Year gets the chance to prove himself to a wider audience and settles in outside clubmate Andrew Sinclair at flyhalf.
I’ll be frank, the Rams are a bunch of unknowns to me. The halves combination of Scott Gale and Paul Asquith are their most experienced players, in terms of Super Rugby, and can provide the spark to this team. Young lock Senio Toleafoa is on the Tahs books and if he wants a starting spot next year, needs to man up in this competition. The likes of Filimone Tufui, Tyrone Viiaga and Tupou Sopoaga provide a bit of size and grunt up front, with former Australian U20’s player Apo Latunipulu and Fijian league international Fabian Goodall potential go to players out wide.
Sydney Rays: 1. Rory O’Connor, 2. Damien Fitzpatrick, 3. Angus Ta’avao, 4. Connor Vest, 5. James Brown, 6. Jack Dempsey, 7. Will Miller, 8. Hugh Sinclair, 9. Matt Lucas (C) , 10. Angus Sinclair, 11. Harry Jones, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Seb Wileman, 14. Richard Woolf15. Johnathan Malo
Replacements:16. James Hilterbrand, 17. Ezra Luxton, 18. Lawrance Hunting, 19. Adrian Hall / Angus Ryan, 20. Harry Bergelin / Michael Smith, 21. Dewet Roos, 22. Sam Lane, 23. Tyson Davis
Western Sydney Rams: 1. Matt Gibbon, 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3. David Lolohea, 4. Filimone Tufui, 5. Senio Toleafoa, 6. Rhys Allen, 7. Tupou Sopoaga, 8. Tyrone Viiaga, 9. Scott Gale, 10. Paul Asquith, 11. Fabian Goodall, 12. Apolosi Latunipulu, 13. Denny Godinet, 14. Rob Buaserau, 15. Albert Nikoro.
Replacements: 16. Aaron Blacklock, 17. Andrew Tuala, 18. Jack Payne, 19. Tom Alexander, 20. Bradford Kapa, 21. Waldo Wessels, 22. Mitch Walton, 23. Luke Smart
Referee: William Houston
Assistant referees: Edward Martin, Andrew Cox
TIP: The Rays should be too strong for the Rams, with the West Sydney team seemingly having a disrupted ‘pre-season’ – Sydney Rays by 18
Queensland Country v Canberra Vikings (broadcast live on Fox Sports)
Sunday 28 August at Bond University (Gold Coast). Kick-off 3:00pm (local time)
Queensland Country will be looking to break the hoodoo that is their opening season encounter at the spiritual home ground of Bond University. In both seasons their first game has been on the Gold Coast and both times they’ve failed to secure a win. Correcting this streak won’t be easy for them this weekend as they take on a powerful Vikings team, Grand Finalists in 2015, determined to go one better in 2016. While the Vikings have been able to roll out another high quality outfit, QLD Country seem much improved on recent years and they will need to be. They saved perhaps their worst performance of 2015 in meekly succumbing to Canberra on the Sunshine Coast in the last match of the season to the tune of 42-8. On a nice day, Bond Uni is a wonderful setting to watch some rugby and tickets are $15 adults, $10 students and $5 for kids.
Country get a massive boost this weekend with Theadore’s favorite son, Rob Simmons, getting the call up from the Wallabies and thus relegating Brad Thorn to the coaches box. He forms part of a pretty handy and dynamic tight five which includes Reds props Sef Fa’agase and Taniela Tupou. The backrow is hard working but keep an eye out for the hard hitting work of their 8, Apisai Naiyabo. James Tuttle will build on his partnership with Mack Mason in the halves with the exciting hands of Duncan Paia’aua at inside centre. Reds flyer Eto Nabuli should thrive on the NRC conditions which hopefully allow him to build on an encouraging first year of Super Rugby. Queensland Premier Rugby player of the year, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, could be a real handful around the ruck base when he gets his chance.
The Vikings confirmed themselves as one of the strong favorites for the competition by naming a team chock-full of Super Rugby talent. As flyhalves are to the Eagles, locks are to the Vikings with four squeezed into the team, most notably Tom Staniforth playing on the side of the scrum and former Qld Country Blake Enever, returning as vice captain of the Canberra team. The young inside back combination of Joe Powell, Nick Jooste and Jordan Jackson-Hope is nothing short of mouth watering and combined with the experienced Andrew Smith and James Dargaville, their potential this year is significant.
QLD Country: 1. Sef Fa’agase, 2. Feleti Kaitu’u, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Rob Simmons, 5. Izack Rodda, 6. Tyrell Barker, 7. Conor Mitchell, 8. Apisai Naiyabo, 9. James Tuttle, 10. Mack Mason, 11. Eto Nabuli, 12. Duncan Paia’aua, 13. Tyrone Lefau, 14. Tom Pincus, 15. Tom Banks
Replacements: 16. Alex Casey, 17. Ben Daley, 18. Kirwan Sanday, 19. Phil Potgieter, 20. Lolo Fakaosilea, 21. Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22. Mitch Third, 23. Izaia Perese
Canberra Vikings: 1. Sione Taula, 2. Robbie Abel, 3. Les Makin, 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Blake Enever, 6. Tom Staniforth, 7. Jarrad Butler (c), 8. Jordan Smiler, 9. Joe Powell, 10. Nick Jooste, 11. Lausii Taliauli, 12. Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13. Andrew Smith, 14. James Dargaville, 15. Robbie Coleman
Replacements: 16. Connal McInerney, 17. Faalelei Sione, 18. Nick Dobson, 19. OJ Noa, 20. Dean Oakman-Hunt, 21. Brent Hamlin, 22. Isaac Thompson, 23. Henry Speight
Referee: Nicholas Berry
Assistant referees: Rohan Hoffmann, Damon Murphy
Television match official: Gregory Milne
TIP: The teams match up extremely well but I feel the home team may have the strike power to get home in a close one – QLD Country by 4
