Get up to speed with a rapid look at round 3 of the NRC:
Rays vs Eagles
The round kicks off with the North Harbour Rays hosting the NSW Country Eagles at Manly’s Brookvale Oval.
The Eagles are flying high (so sorry for that), with two bonus point wins they are equal league leaders. The Rays are playing their second game of the season, last week’s bye coming after a high scoring away loss to the impressive Melbourne Rising in the first round.
The bye will mean the Rays are a bit fresher than the Eagles who are coming back to Sydney after an impressive win on the Gold Coast last week. It’s hard though to discount the form of the Eagles though and Sydney is as home a game as any in NSW for the “visitors”.
Thursday 4th September, 7:30pm
Brookvale Oval, Sydney
Prediction: Eagles by 20
Spirit vs Rams
The second match of the round sees the Perth Spirit hosing the Greater Sydney Rams in Adelaide, because Adelaide deserves a little rugby.
The Rams have been run over in their first two fixtures while still showing some character and class. Perth have a one and one record after losing an epic encounter with Brisbane City in Perth last week.
Form wise and on paper the Spirit would be favourites, it will be interesting to see if last week motivates or demoralises the squad. The Rams need a full 80 of rugby if they’re going to get a win, this could be the week to do it.
Saturday 6th September, 2:00pm (local)
Adelaide Airport Stadium, Adelaide.
Prediction: Spirit by 20
Procarlos Sports Photography
Vikings vs QLD Country
The third match sees the Canberra Vikings play their second home game of the season against Queensland Country.
The Vikings corrected their poor start to the season by winning away to the Rams last week. The Queenslanders kicked off their campaign last week losing away heavily to the Eagles, after a first round bye.
Queensland have a strong core of Super Rugby players that will need to step up this week to halt the slide. The Vikings will be itching to get their first home win after a lack lustre display in their opening loss to the Spirit.
Saturday 6th September, 2:30pm
Viking Park, Canberra
Prediction: Vikings by 8
Brissy City vs The Rising
The final match is this week’s GAGR Game of the Round, Brisbane City v The Melbourne Rising.
Two unbeaten teams, the very impressive team from Melbourne travel to the spiritual home of Queensland rugby, Ballymore, to lock horns with Brisbane city.
Brisbane are coming off a ‘come from behind’ away win against a quality Perth team. Melbourne are perhaps even hotter. After beating the Rays at home and the Stars in Sydney, both by significant margins, the Rising sit on top of the table.
With so few games in the NRC, fixtures like this go a long way to decide a clubs fate. The winner here is likely to top the table while the loser will return to the chasing pack, one third of the way through the season.
The big match up would have to be the in form Melbourne young gun Nick Stirzaker taking on Wallaby legend Will Genia in his first game back from long term injury. Nick Frisby is another in form scrum half, he is also with Brisbane, so you would have to give City the edge, at least in the last twenty.
Saturday 6th September, 3pm
Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
Prediction: Brisbane by 5
