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Last weekend’s set of results confirmed a definite top five and bottom four sides in this year’s National Rugby Championship.
By beating the Sydney Stars in Tamworth, NSW Country showed that they can still run with the in-form teams this season. They sit on eight points along with the Melbourne Rising, who sit just inside the top four.
After a Round 4 bye, Melbourne will likely give everyone a reminder of where they’re at this weekend, and so it’s super important for NSW Country to give it to Brisbane City on Sunday.
And there’s a tough little period for Country coming up. We’ll find out soon enough if they can stay with the top five, or whether the split will move up a rung. They’re only eight differential points behind the Rising; Melbourne have scored more, but Country have conceded fewer tries. There’s not much between them.
I’d be interested to hear if this is a shared view. And if it is, how we think the remaining rounds play out.
The weekly reminder: To watch the three games over the weekend, you’ll need full access to the Fox Sports website, or to the Fox Sport NOW app on Apple TV.
NRC live streams can be accessed by Fox Sports Digital subscribers and News Plus subscribers, or they can be viewed a day after the game at the NRC website.
Most Foxtel subscribers qualify for free Fox Sports Digital access but need to generate a new username and password by clicking here.
You cannot access the streams with just your Foxtel TV login details.
To the games…
Tonight: University of Canberra Vikings vs Sydney Stars at Viking Park, Canberra; 7:35pm (AEST)
If we all agree that at least four wins will be needed to qualify for the top four this season, then the Vikings can edge that much closer to securing their berth with a win tonight.
Equally, it’s really important the Stars beat one of the stronger teams in the competition, just to show that they are as good as they appear.
It should be a ripper game, I’m really looking forward to this one.
The cavalry is back for Canberra, with Ben Alexander, Rory Arnold and Christian Lealiifano all in the starting XV. Lealiifano comes back in at 10, which moves Rod Iona out to 12 and James Dargaville to the wing for the match against his old side. Isaac Thompson returns from a foot injury at fullback.
Sydney have rung the changes too; some forced and some not. Tom Carter is back from suspension, Tolu Latu returns from Barbarian and World XV duties, and Matt Sandell wins a start after impressing at tighthead in Tamworth. With Angus Roberts out, Jordan McGregor will assume flyhalf and kicking duties, and young flyhalf/fullback Christian Kagiassis gets his first NRC opportunity from the bench.
University of Canberra
(1-15) Allan Alaalatoa, Robbie Abel, Ben Alexander, Rory Arnold, Blake Enever, Jordan Smiler, Jarrad Butler (c), Ita Vaea, Joe Powell, Christian Lealiifano, Lausii Taliauli, Rodney Iona, Nigel Ah Wong, James Dargaville, Isaac Thompson.
Reserves: Albert Anae, Sione Taula, Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, Dean Oakman-Hunt, Rowan Perry, Brent Hamlin, Mitch Third, Frankie Fainifo.
Sydney
(1-15) Tolu Latu, Tom Coolican, Matt Sandell, Jeremy Tilse, Matt Philip (Vc), Michael Kovacic, Ofa Finau, Mitchell Whiteley, Jake Gordon, Jordan Mcgregor, Harry Jones, Tom Carter, Jim Stewart, John Hale, Tom Kingston (C).
Replacements: Declan Moore, Alastair Ryan, Alasdair King, Nick Coldrake, Jake Wainwright, Richard Draper, Christian Kagiassis, Andrew Robinson.
Referee: Damien Mitchelmore
Tickets: Adults from $10, concessions $5 via Eventopia, or adults $15 at the gate.
Saturday: Melbourne Rising vs Greater Sydney Rams at Latrobe City Stadium, Morwell; 2pm (AEST)
The Rising take the rugby gospel to the Gippsland region of eastern Victoria, with Morwell playing host to its first ever NRC game.
Latrobe City Stadium was once home to the Morwell Falcons and Gippsland Pride in the old National Soccer League, and in recent times has played host to Melbourne Rebels trial games, as well as A-League and W-League pre-season fixtures.
My Melbourne spies tell me that their Barbarians trio of Luke Jones, Tom English, and Dom Shipperley are all back on deck, but weren’t confident enough to say how many of them will start.
Also, the word is Cruze Ah-Nau and Lopeti Timani have used the bye period well, and both could be in line to return. And, in the tradition of #SuperSefa, it appears the Rising are ready to unleash #FilipeFever, with new cult hero Filipe Vilitati a big chance of starting, depending on where English or Shipperley suit up.
The Rams have enjoyed a week of relative stability, with just Hugh Roach and Denny Godinet facing fitness tests. Kelly Meafua could be in line to start in place of Jono Hayes, with the Southern Districts flanker essentially playing himself into the ground. Oh, and the Rams now have a training base, with the Sydney Cricket Club coming to the rescue with the use of Taplin Park, next door to Drummoyne Oval.
Teams to be announced today. Referee is Matt O’Brien.
Tickets at the gate, or via the Melbourne Rising website. Adults $15, kids under 12 free.
Saturday: Queensland Country vs Perth Spirit at Rugby Park, Rockhampton; 6:00pm (AEST)
The NRC roadshow heads north to the beef capital of Australia, when Rockhampton also makes its competition debut. And what a day is looming, with the NRC match the main event on a massive day of rugby, which includes the Central Queensland A-Grade grand final between the Frenchville Pioneers – featuring local WIN TV sports journo Simi Kefu, brother of a certain former Wallabies No.8 – up against the Gladstone Goats. Two more additions to my ‘favourite rugby club names’ list, for sure.
The day starts with a golden oldies game between Rockhampton and Gladstone, followed by Mt Morgan taking on Biloela in reserve grade. Think of how good the steak sandwiches will be…
Queensland Country will hand a start to young lock Sam Reiser, who impressed after replacing Phil Potgieter last week. Souths blindsider James Turner is in line for his first game of 2015, while prop Haydn Hirsimaki is also back after missing last week. My rookie spy-interns also saw a big guy in Reds gear packing into the backrow at training, but they’re still working through headshots to give me a name. I could save them time and say it was probably Eddie Quirk, but they need to work it out for themselves.
Perth used well over 40 players last season with the deliberate tactic of leaving the Western Force guys at home, but after four games and no concrete resting policy, Perth are pushing that number again in 2015 because of injury. And there’s yet more change this week: Heath Tessmann is back to captain the side, while Rory Walton, hard-working flanker Richard Hardwick, Ian Prior and Kyle Godwin all return as well.
The Spirit will be tested in Rockhampton, and they’ll be tested before they get there too, with upwards of five hours flying time from Perth, via Brisbane.
Teams to be announced today. Referee is Rohan Hoffmann.
Tickets: Available at the gate – adults $15 and kids under 16 free.
Sunday: Brisbane City vs NSW Country Eagles at Ballymore Oval, Brisbane; 3:30pm (AEST)
Brisbane can confirm their semi-final spot with a win, while a win for the Eagles would provide confidence that they can repeat last season’s semi-final appearance.
A big day looms at Ballymore too, where another attempt at the World’s Biggest Scrum will be attempted. City want Queenslanders far and wide to take up a bind, when they will attempt to break the record set by the Fox Sports crew at ANZ Stadium in August.
Olympic gold medallist Giaan Rooney will lead one side, while the other will be led by Home and Away actor Ray Meagher – yes, Alf flamin’ Stewart! – who actually played for Queensland back in the day. Details at The Scrum.
City have no injuries to report after a nine-day break following last Thursday night’s big win over North Harbour, and they’re shooting for an NRC-record ninth-straight win, having drawn level with Melbourne’s 2014 mark of eight last weekend.
They’ll be largely unchanged it seems, though hooker Andrew Ready should be back. Coach Nick Stiles will again likely rotate players on the bench, ensuring game time for as many players as possible. The Horan-Little Shield will again be on the line, as required.
NSW Country, on the other hand, have been hit by the dual suspensions of Cameroonian tighthead Dashville Kuate, and Brumbies lock Tom Staniforth, both charged with high tackles. Young lock Ned Hanigan is set to be rested after a long season, and with a Sunday-to-Thursday turnaround in front of them, I get the feeling he may not be alone. Jono Lance has been this year’s Sam Windsor for Country, but will they risk him against the red-hot competition leaders? I don’t know; the Eagles wouldn’t confirm or deny.
Teams to be announced today. The referee is Nic Berry.
Tickets: Adults $15, concessions $10, juniors $5 when purchased online via the Reds website, and QRU-registered kids under 16 free with a paying adult.
North Harbour Rays have the bye.
Table at the start of Round 5
Brisbane City 19
Uni of Canberra 14
Sydney 14
Melbourne 8
NSW Country 8
]North Harbour 5
Queensland Country 5
Greater Sydney 2
Perth 1