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On Saturday I got my first live taste of the new National Rugby Championship at Ballymore, where Brisbane City were comprehensively outplayed by Melbourne Rising, who ran in 11 tries to three in a 79-18 point thrashing.
Melbourne further consolidated their position at the top of the NRC table and subjected Brisbane City to their first defeat. My man of the match, Melbourne winger Tom English, scored four tries in an impressive all-round performance.
In a team bursting with Super Rugby talent, Melbourne’s backs ran riot, scoring a plethora of tries by Jonah Placid, Telusa Veainu, Sefanaia Naivalu and Lloyd Johannson with forwards Pat Leafa and a brace from Lopeti Timani also getting in on the act. Jack Debreczeni added six conversions and Johannson a further two.
Brisbane were very much in the hunt at the break after a competitive and exciting first half ended 18-29. Chris Kuridrani, Samu Kerevi and the returning Liam Gill scored Brisbane’s tries, with Jake McIntyre adding one conversion. That Brisbane were able to stay within striking distance of the competition leaders, despite Nick Frisby being sent to the bin by Steve Walsh for taking Telusa Veainu out in the air, was a good sign.
Although the warning signs were there for Brisbane, such as the intensity of the Melbourne forwards in getting to the breakdown and their power in the scrum. Several missed tackles and sloppy play in midfield cost Brisbane dearly throughout the game, allowing the Melbourne back line to slip through and create numerous opportunities out wide to pile on the points.
There were some positives for Brisbane coach Nick Styles to take from the game. Wallabies scrum half Will Genia made his comeback in the second period, and showed glimpses of his trademark sharpness around the breakdown.
Also, 2014 Reds debutant Samu Kerevi showed just what a powerful ball carrier he is in the centres. The Fijian-born centre scored a try and made a number of strong ball carries, line breaks and offloads that got fans up on their feet. Already becoming a favourite due to his strong running and uncompromising tackling, Kerevi is a player that we will see a lot, maybe even in the gold of Australia.
One thing that the NRC provided on Saturday was a real sense of nostalgia (apart from the naff name of the Melbourne team – what is wrong with just Melbourne?). Top level rugby, kicking off on Saturday afternoon, at Ballymore. That sentence evokes memories of a previous age in rugby.
With a very healthy crowd of kids, families and elder statesmen of the game, Ballymore felt alive to the possibilities that staging regular games here throws up. Despite the NRC being largely funded by Fox as a TV competition, getting bums on seats is the real test as to whether it can survive as a sustainable competition in its own right.
Saturday’s crowd of about 3000 was a very positive sign. The fans were treated to some excellent running rugby in Ballymore’s intimate surroundings by some top quality players.
And running rugby is the main crux of the argument for this competition. The new scoring system is heavily favoured to scoring tries. With eight points available for a converted try and just two for a penalty or drop goal, this meant that for the first time in my rugby watching life I saw a game that did not feature a single penalty kick at goal. That’s something that I won’t be feeling nostalgic about any time soon.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.