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The NSW Country Eagles host the in-form Melbourne Rising in Orange for Round 5 of the National Rugby Championship. While no NRC game this week will be televised you can still join The Roar from 2:55pm (AEST) for scores updates.
The NRC has continued to excite crowds with its fast and offensive brand of rugby and this clash between the competitions two top teams will no doubt be a spectacle.
Melbourne Rising has been the team to beat in the NRC thus far, and have posted some incredible scores on the back of fast, running rugby. This attacking mindset has seen Melbourne accrue an incredible 223 points for and only 89 against.
After a strong start by Perth Spirit in their Round 4 clash, Melbourne turned on the afterburners and flew away from Spirit scoring tries at ease.
Winger Telusa Veainu was particularly impressive, scoring a double and one of the more spectacular individual tries of the competition to date.
It will be crucial for NSW to contain Veainu, as well as outside centre Mitch Inman, if they are to prevail over Melbourne.
Some have criticised Rising for fielding what is essentially a watered-down version of the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby side and consequently undermining the impartiality of the competition.
The playing field, however, will be levelled this week with the return of fringe Wallabies to bolster the Eagles line up.
The Eagles were unlucky not to come out with a win in their Round 4 clash a Brisbane City side that boasted Wallabies hopefuls Will Genia, Liam Gill, Jake Shatz and Lachie Turner.
NSW Country showed tremendous heart and determination despite their glossy opposition, turning around a 19-point halftime deficit to fall just eight points short (one converted try under the new law amendments) 34-26 at full time. The loss was the first for the Eagles in the competition so far.
In front of a vocal local country crowd in Orange, you can rightly expect the Eagles to rise to the occasion, and there is plenty of class in their line up – if last week is anything to go by.
Josh Mann-Rea has been in recent Wallaby camps, while the likes of Paddy Dellit, Mitch Chapman, Tala Gray and Ed Stubbs bring no shortage of big-game experience.
Former Wallby Steven Hoiles and Brendan McKibbin played big parts in the Waratahs Super Rugby championship season and will be looking for a strong performance to increase their chances of an end of year tour selection.
Young speedster Andrew Kellaway has also been mercurial, continuing with his excellent form that saw the singer break the IRB Junior Rugby World Championship try-scoring record. Whoever lines up on the Rising’s right wing will have a massive defensive challenge on their hands to keep Kellaway quiet.
Irrespective of these threats it is hard to see the Melbourne being beating. Yet, if there was a team to do it, it would be the hard men from rural NSW.
Tip: Melbourne by eight.
*NSW Country Eagles team will be added when announced
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.