Well this is the week we’ve all been waiting for. The Grand Final rehearsal looks to be taking place at Viking Park on Saturday, but there are a couple of other games that may impact the make up of the finals as well so make sure you tune in so as not to miss out.
MELBOURNE RISING (5th) V NSW COUNTRY EAGLES (4th)
Thursday 8 October at Simonds Stadium (Geelong). Kick Off 7:30PM (Local Time)
The finals start a couple of weeks early for these two teams who currently both sit with three wins and three losses. Whilst the Eagles sit one spot further up with an additional bonus point, the Rising actually have the better for and against. This match is all about making a play for that third or fourth position as the Stars continue their slide and the Spirit fighting on.
The Rising have now lost two games in a row which is a first for them, whilst the Eagles struggle to string two wins together will endeavour to achieve it this week following their own the road win against Perth. The match will be played in Geelong at the old Kardinia Park, home of the Geelong Cats, which is an interesting option. Being a television match, the lights were likely a key criteria here.
Key Matchups:
The two young guns at 12 showcase the future of Australian Rugby. Whilst Dave Horwitz was perhaps unlucky not to make the Australian Under 20s team, Sione Tuipulotu got the call up as one of a handful of Victorian reps. Horwitz will match his guile against Tuipulotu’s barnstorming runs in a fascinating encounter.
Further out we have two more of the brightest talents in the country in Jonah Placid and Andrew Kellaway. Both are electric runners from the back and have lit up the NRC competition in 2015 and both can be expected to see a lot more Super Rugby time in 2016 and beyond.
2015 Form:
Rising – WBWLL
Eagles : BWLLW
Tip: Rising by 4
Rising: 1. Cruze Ah-Nau, 2. Pat Leafa, 3. Duncan Chubb, 4. Sam Jeffries, 5. Lopeti Timani, 6. Luke Jones, 7. Jordy Reid, 8. Colby Fainga’a (C), 9. Ben Meehan, 10. Jack Debreczeni, 11. Stacey Ili, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 13. Dom Shipperley, 14. Justin Marsters, 15. Jonah Placid.
16. Mitch Andrews, 17. Mike Tyler, 18. Tom Moloney, 19. Steve Cummins, 20. Pom Simona, 21. Maradona Farao, 22. Lloyd Johansson, 23. Filipe Vilitati.
Eagles: 1. Dane Maraki, 2. Tom Sexton, 3. Dave Faeo, 4. Nick Palmer, 5. Tom Staniforth, 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. Jarome McKenzie, 15. Andrew Kellaway.
16. Peter Nau, 17. Jerome Vaai, 18. Dashville Kuate, 19. Jock Armstrong, 20. BJ Edwards, 21. Angus Pulver, 22. Tom Merritt, 23. Jack Pennington.
CANBERRA VIKINGS (2nd) v BRISBANE CITY (1st) – Horan Little Shield Challenge
Saturday 10 October at Viking Park (Canberra). Kick Off 2:00pm (Local Time)
Well this is it. We’ve waited long enough and the moment has arrived. The undefeated Brisbane City will travel to Viking Park to take on the undefeated Canberra Vikings. You couldn’t ask for a closer match up as both teams sit on six wins, five bonus points and Brisbane with just a two point better for and against. Brisbane’s marginally better defensive record could be a critical factor in the outcome of this match.
Whilst both teams have ample Super Rugby talent, there are also plenty of next tier players who have been ably pushing their cause. Players such as Junior Laloifi, Henry Taefu, Luke Beauchamp and Ben Hyne for Brisbane and Robbie Abel, Rodney Iona and Isaac Thompson have worked well with their more fancied team mates and have been just as crucial as the stars in guiding their team’s success.
Key Matchups:
Two experienced yet young open sides will face up again on Saturday arvo when Jarrad Butler and Liam Gill take the field as opposing captains. Their leadership will be crucial as will be their work around the field. Brisbane have had the luxury of resting Gill of late, so he should be fresh and firing for this challenge. Butler has scored a half dozen tries this season, all from the back of the driving maul so City will need to be up for that challenge.
Another little interesting contest will come at the back of the pack where the form player of the competition, Ita Vaea, will face up against 2015 Player of the National Under 20 Tournament, Adam Korczyk on his return from a long term injury. It will be a massive ask for Korczyk, into the squad for Scott Higginbotham who is out with a minor groin injury, to nullify the hard running Vaea.
Allan Alaalatoa and Sam Talakai have been two of the competition’s stand out front runners in a tournament that has confirmed the current strength in Australia’s scrummaging ranks. Whilst the Wallabies were teaching the Poms a lesson at Twickenham, Alaalatoa and Talakai have been anchoring powerful scrummaging units in the NRC. This week they go head to head in a scrum clash that should have the scrum fans of Australia salivating.
2015 Form:
Vikings – WWWWW
Brisbane – WWWBW
Tip: Brisbane by 5
Vikings: 1. Allan Alaalatoa, 2. Robbie Abel, 3. Ben Alexander, 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Blake Enever, 6. Jordan Smiler, 7. Jarrad Butler (c), 8. Ita Vaea,9. Joe Powell, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Lausi Taliauli, 12. Rodney Iona, 13. Nigel Ah Wong, 14. James Dargaville, 15. Isaac Thompson
16. Albert Anae, 17. Sione Taula, 18. Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, 19. Dean Oakman-Hunt, 20. Rowan Perry, 21. Brent Hamlin, 22. Mitch Third, 23. Frankie Fainifo
Brisbane City: 1. Pettowa Paraka, 2. Andrew Ready, 3. Sam Talakai, 4. Corey Thomas, 5. Cadeyrn Neville, 6. Waita Setu, 7. Liam Gill (C), 8. Adam Korczyk, 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. Markus Vanzati, 18. Feao Fotuaika, 19. Ben Hyne, 20. Luke Beauchamp, 21. Moses Sorovi, 22. Alex Gibbon, 23. Andy Muirhead
NORTH HARBOUR RAYS (9th) v QUEENSLAND COUNTRY (7th)
Saturday 10 October at Pittwater Park (Sydney). Kick Off 3:00pm (Local Time)
This is the match of the round that has the least significance on the finals series. Perhaps Queensland Country has a very outside chance of sneaking in but they would need a whole lot of unlikely results to fall their way for it to eventuate.
The Rays are sitting on the bottom of the ladder having not experienced a win since their Round 2 upset of the Perth Spirit. Queensland Country are fresh off a bye but have been on somewhat of a form surge of late winning two of their last three games (and being smashed by the Spirit in the other). Last season’s encounter was a classic with Rays winning by three points. Let’s hope this one can be just as entertaining.
Key Matchups:
Dion Tuamata was the conductor of Country’s latest win in the wet of Newcastle. Standing in for the injured Sam Greene he controlled the game well in the challenging conditions and was a big factor in the win and retains his place at 10 with Greene returning at fullback. Sam Lane has some solid Manly combinations around him to kick the Rays backline into gear. We’ve seen glimpses of it so far, yet not to the level required to pose a threat. This match be the chance the change that.
Boyd Killingworth and Connor Mitchell have not only been two of the most resilient players for their respective teams, they have also been two of the best. Both extremely physical at open side, neither has the outrageous skills of a Liam Gill nor speed of a Michael Hooper, yet both have proven extremely valuable for their physical and cunning approach to the game.
2015 Form:
Rays – LLBLL
QLD Country – LWLWB
Tip: QLC Country by 12
Rays: 1. Mitch Lewis, 2. Luke Holmes (C), 3. Lawrance Hunting, 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. Michael Adams, 14. Tom Hill, 15. Hamish Angus
16. Vance Elliott, 17 Rory O’connor, 18. Alex Holmes, 19. Cameron Treloar, 20. Mitch Daniel, 21. Tim Donlan, 22. Dennis Pili-Gaitau, 23. Sione Ala
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 (c), 10. Dion Taumata, 11. Pierce Fitzgerald, 12. Lagi Setu, 13. Campbell Magnay, 14. Tom Banks, 15. Sam Greene
16. Campbell Wakely, 17. Haydn Hirsimaki, 18. Rueben Leilua, 19. Milton Sikuea, 20. Jack Cornelsen, 21. Harry Nucifora, 22. Mack Mason, 23. Tyrone Lefau
GREATER SYDNEY RAMS (8th) v PERTH SPIRIT (6th)
Saturday 10 October at Concord Oval (Sydney). Kick Off :00pm (Local Time)
It’s all or nothing for the Spirit this weekend. They need a big win with a bonus point to have any chance of sneaking into the finals as they have the bye next weekend. They’ll be up against qualification but in their favour is that they are playing the Rams, with only one team this season, and they have the best for and against other than Canberra and Brisbane. If they can sneak into the finals, as per last year, we know anything is possible.
The Rams are officially on a winning streak; however, as they enjoyed their first win of the season last Thursday night against the equally low lying North Harbour Rays. An upset big win could even see them leap frog the Spirit on the ladder, so there’s still much to play for.
And just to keep in the RWC theme of things this match will be played at Concord Oval, which of course was the Australian ‘home’ of the 1987 RWC, and where that famous semi-final against the French was played. A great opportunity to get down to remember the past and watch the stars of tomorrow.
Key Matchups:
Michael McDougall recent run of form in the NRC has been excellent. Whilst the backline has chopped and changed around him, McDougall has been a constant at inside centre and a consistently high performer with his astute line running and solid defense. He’ll likely be up against Kyle Godwin of the Spirit who is another who’s is enjoying a purple patch of NRC form. Godwin will provde a handful for McDougall with his strength on the ball and his skills from hand and foot.
At number 8 we May well see a contest between two tough as nails absolute competitors in Angus Cottrell and Jed Holloway. It can get a little old reading it, but Jed is the heart and soul of the Rams and his physicality is a feature of their play. Cottrell has more support in the back row combination for the Spirit, but has been a class act in each of his appearances. Close to Wallaby selection not too long ago, his play for the Spirit this year has proven why.
2015 Form:
Rams: – LLLLW
Spirit: LLWWL
Tip: Spirit by 10
Rams: Jed Gillespie, 2. HughRoach, 3. Cameron Betham, 4. Jake Douglas, 5. Will Munro, 6. Jono Hayes, 7. Cohen Masson, 8. Jed Holloway (c), 9. Dewet Roos, 10. Paul Asquith, 11. Afa Pakalani, 12. Michael Mcdougall, 13. Jordan Heyer, 14. Matt Teki,15. Brendan Hartmann
16. Siliva Siliva, 17.Matt Gibbon, 18. Sam Needs, 19.Brad Kapa, 20. Kelly Meafua, 21. Taylor Adams, 22. Rohan Saifoloi, 23. Brad Curtis
Spirit: 1. Francois van Wyk, 2. Harry Scoble, 3. Oliver Hoskins, 4. Adrian Hall, 5. Ross Haylett-Petty, 6. Pierre Roberts, 7 Kane Koteka, 8. Angus Cottrell, 9. Ryan Louwrens, 10. Ian Prior (C), 11. Brad Lacey, 12. Kyle Godwin, 13. Maalonga Konelio, 14. Faamanatu Apineru, 15. Albert Nikoro.
16. Anaru Rangi, 17. Chris Heiberg, 18. Jermaine Ainsley, 19. Rory Walton, 20. Auega Seumanutafa, 21. Michael Ruru, 22. Nick Jooste, 23. Byron Hutchinson
