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What we learnt from the opening game of the NRC

Roar Rookie
21st August, 2014
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Who are you supporting in the NRC?
Roar Rookie
21st August, 2014
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The Sydney Stars and Brisbane City played out a fantastic opening match in the first round of the National Rugby Championship for 2014 that left us rugby fans screaming for more.

Ten tries were scored despite terrible conditions at Ballymore Stadium, with Brisbane taking out the clash 45-20 against the Stars. From the very first game we have learnt a few things about the new third tier competition.

1. The NRC needs to stay
I would happily say that the game I just witnessed was one of the best examples of running rugby I have ever seen. Both sides threw the ball around with reckless abandon and despite the overwhelming amount of errors made, which could be blamed on the weather, anybody who watched that match would surely be left well and truly entertained.

2. There is depth in Australian rugby
It is an outstanding chance for some players to get some exposure and show what they are capable of. Two examples of this were Brisbane City players Nick Frisby and Samu Kerevi.

Both of these men played absolutely outstanding games. Halfback Frisby showed his experience and vision with a dominating kicking game that had the Stars on the backfoot for the entire match. He also set up one of the best tries of the game after sneaking through a gap next to the ruck and putting a supporting teammate past the fullback with a brilliant flick pass that Queensland Reds’ teammate Quade Cooper would be proud of.

And for those that missed watching this game live, they missed a dominant performance by 20-year-old centre Kerevi. The Queensland Reds player impressed at the end of the Super Rugby season with a strong running game and tackle breaking ability and those qualities were showing in his debut game for Brisbane.

Everytime he ran the ball he broke two or three tackles and broke the line on more than a few occasions. The Fox Sports commentators were left raving at his performance and one called him a Wallaby in waiting.

For the Stars, Jim Stewart and Peter Betham had great games as well. Stewart was similar to Kerevi in his rampaging running and tackle breaks while Betham showed his class with a great hit-out that did nothing to harm his chances of a Wallabies recall, especially as he is on the brink of selection should anything happen to the current Wallaby backs.

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3. The rule changes work
IRB and SANZAR take note. It was no coincidence that the running rugby style was encouraged by the many experimental law changes made for the NRC, with penalty and drop goals downgraded to two points, and conversions for tries going up to three.

There was not a single penalty goal attempted in the game and we were treated to an entertaining spectacle that showed the way for the sport to continue in the future. This game was an example of how rugby should be played, minus the errors and defensive lapses, and if Super Rugby was played like this the game wouldn’t be in such a poor financial state.

I for one have been screaming for changes to the point scoring in rugby union and this instant result shows how well it works. However in saying that, I believe too much emphasis is now on conversions. A great example of this is after the Stars had scored four tries, to Brisbane’s two. However two conversions for Brisbane and none for Sydney left the scoreline at 20-16, something that could have had a big impact on the outcome of the game.

29 unanswered points to Brisbane may have put those worries to bed, but nonetheless I think it should be six points for a try and two for a conversion, but it is still going the right way.

Also the changes to the scrum laws are excellent, there was no reset after reset like we have come to get used to, and this is definitely a positive.

4. Better TV coverage
How good was that game! Are you excited for the rest of Round 1’s matches?

Well unless you plan on racking up some Frequent Flyer points or heading to Coogee Oval on Saturday afternoon, then that’s it until next week. You can understand why Fox Sports is only airing a game a week on their channels, due to the flop of the ARC in 2007, but the competition must be aired more, especially on free-to-air channels.

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Ideally more games will be brought on during the season because of good ratings but realistically, it won’t be until next season where we see more than one game on our TVs.

Sydneysiders, head out to Coogee Oval on Saturday afternoon to watch the NSW Country Eagles clash with the Greater Sydney Rams in what will hopefully be another attacking rugby showpiece. Kick-off is 3pm. And go the Rams!

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