The much discussed third tier competition in Australia has kicked off with Brisbane City hosting the Sydney Stars at Ballymore in Brisbane.
The NRC replaces the ARC which burned brightly for one season in 2007 before the competition was cancelled by the ARU due to a loss of over $5 million.
The early response from the public in Brisbane was very positive with an engaged crowd of 3,400 showing their appreciation for a good standard of rugby despite some heavy rain during the match.
Brisbane will go in to the history books as winners of the first match in the new competition with a comprehensive 45-20 victory.
The match featured ten tries and the new laws being trialed certainly seemed to encourage a much faster game. Under existing laws the score would have been 40-20 but five eight point converted tries to Brisbane made a difference.
Brisbane went into the match underprepared having only had one team training run before the match due to a large number of players participating in the club rugby grand final last Sunday, but they made a strong start with a couple of driving mauls before Michael Hodge from the Stars had to be replaced due to concussion suffered as he tried to tackle the hard charging Samuel Kerevi.
But it didn’t take long for Sydney to get into the game either with a couple of breaks out wide before Henry Clunies-Ross scored the first try of the competition in the left corner.
Nick Frisby then set up Brisbane’s first try when he made something from nothing before giving a flick pass to Toby White who scored under the posts for the first ever eight point try.
Sydney scored four tries in the first half with Sam Quinn, James Dargaville and Jim Stewart joining Clunies-Ross on the score sheet.
Brisbane hit back with a try to Kuridrani after a fortuitous intercept from Pettowa Paraka late in the half and with the try converted Brisbane narrowed the gap to 20-16 for the Stars at half time.
Early in the second half Brisbane took the lead with a second try to White before some great counter attack and another clean break from Kerevi saw Jake McIntyre in for Brisbane’s fourth try.
Kuridrani scored his second try of the match and Brisbane’s fifth with twenty minutes remaining and not long after it was ‘Harry-Badger’ aka Harry Parker scoring Brisbane’s sixth try.
The rain continued to get heavier during the match and the handling of both teams suffered but they still both moved the ball around with plenty of intent.
Sydney dominated the scrums in the first half of the match where it really did look like men against boys with Jeremy Tilse and Paddy Ryan looking a class above the young front row for Brisbane. To their credit Brisbane improved their scrumaging as the game went on and finished even with Sydney in this area.
Brisbane’s defence through the mid-field looked a little brittle but improved in the second half and Sydney were unable to score any points after half time.
Peter Betham looked dangerous in the first half making a number of line breaks but Brisbane did a good job of containing him in the second half.
We saw Kerevi dominate for the Reds late in the Super Rugby season and he continued that form tonight proving the difference in the match and deservedly winning the man of the match award.
Overall it was a good start to the new competition and this sort of rugby is likely to attract more people to the game if we continue to see rugby of this quality.
Mike
Guest
I jest!
Mike
Guest
Thanks for the heads up on Kyte. As I am not a Queenslander I wouldn't have known him from a bar of soap, but I will keep an eye out for him now. Its always interesting to know who are the young forwards with potential
Charcoal
Guest
Amen to that. Go the Rams though.
Charcoal
Guest
I attended the game during the ARC between Sydney Fleet and the Western Sydney Rams at North Sydney Oval, which was packed to capacity. All the stands were full as well as the hill. There was a queue a mile long waiting to get into the ground. I don't know what the capacity is at North Sydney Oval, but I guarantee the crowd that night was at least triple the official number of 3,000. I'd take the Wikipedia's numbers with a grain of salt. I share your concerns about the structure of the teams for the NRC, particularly in Sydney, but I'm prepared to be open minded and see how it pans out. Hopefully, a review of the competition after its first season will correct some of these anomalies.
Nick Wilson
Roar Rookie
There was a program put out online, don't know if they were handing out printed copies though. http://www.redsrugby.com.au/Portals/10/2014/Documents/NRC/140821-NRC-Weekly.pdf
Scotty
Guest
Was such an entertaining game to watch. Awesome comeback from Brisbane was unbelievable to watch it happening!
In Brief
Guest
irrelevant question. The ARC was a great success by most measures, it failed financially. The financial model has been rejigged so I seen no reason why this comp won't succeed long term. Also, the biggest factor to me will be the buy in from Perth and Melbourne. The Perth Spirit had the best crowds in 2007 and I expect them to go close again. Whatever your views there are many supporters who will really appreciate the opportunity to see quality rugby.
Chivas
Guest
Thanks for the write up. I normally have zero time for Australian rugby, especially the Shite shield stuff. It is like watching the local team down at the park. Grass roots rugby of the sort only rusted on supporters can watch. So I was pleasantly surprised when I flipped it on. The commentary was solid. Players which are known to the broader rugby public on field. A reasonable turn out and a generally interesting and fun game to watch. It really looks like something that is very marketable and attractive. Good show all round. I hope the enthusiasm grows and if this game was anything to go by I think it really does have legs.
formeropenside
Guest
think of the balls as golden if it helps - call them "Bothams"
Bakkies
Guest
If it was a Friday night 5,000 might have been possible. More kids can go on a friday night. I imagine the Sydney thursday nights will face the same problem
Bakkies
Guest
Which is why games shouldn't be on a thursday
Brett McKay
Expert
What sort of crowd would you have expected for the first game of a new competition then, with two new teams and with the threat (and reality) of rain on the night? I'll be really interested to know your answer...
Brett McKay
Expert
well......
sheek
Roar Guru
Mike - ??????????
sheek
Roar Guru
Johnson - ??????????
formeropenside
Guest
Well yeah, but I'd hazard a guess a lot of the people watching GPS rugby have paid tens of thousands of dollars for the priviledge.
formeropenside
Guest
Yes, the opening game at Bond will be free. But dont take my word for it, since my opinions as a Queenslander are always suspect: http://www.redsrugby.com.au/ArticleDetails/tabid/526/ArticleID/12221/Bond-University-Queensland-Country%e2%80%99s-first-game-in-the-inaugural-National-Rugby-Championship-to-be-free-of-charge-to-fans.aspx
JDB
Guest
Went to the game last night with my girlfriend, had a great time sitting in the stand watching some very entertaining rugby. The crowd was good for a first match in the rain on a Thursday night. There were a bunch of people in my office talking about the game this morning, and seems to be lots of interest in getting along to the rest of the games, so Brisbane wise I think the crowds may improve. The pace of play was a big step up from club rugby, and the Brisbane forwards really did seem to be sucking down the big ones by the end of the half. I actually think the high tempo play is a really good for the forwards and will help develop the ball handling and running that have made the All Blacks tight 5 so dangerous.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
I watched the game on Fox where I live near Warwick with the fire going and a Shiraz by my side and felt sorry for the crowd in the wet. The Stars carved up City in the first half running through large gaps in the defence in the first half, that was tightened up in the second half much to my surprise However I thought the first half of the game was down on technical skill having just watched Southland and North Harbour play ITM cup. But the match improved as it went on. The Stars front row obliterated our City boys in the first half but I did note that when Phil Kyte came on the second half there was an appreciable difference, I've watched this young bloke since he was 15 and he looks to be a future Reds player. For City, I thought Gunn was good and McDuling did well in the second row except for a bumbled pass to Frisby from the line out that looked really silly. Frisby, while he was quite good still makes wrong decisions for me, his box kicking had no purpose and most times was ill directed. Apart from that he did fairly well. McIntire the FH for City played well within himself and underplayed his hand, I liked his try, the perfect backup after he had passed the ball. I don't really know what sets him apart from any one of a number of fly halfs but he's there and they are not. I still have my doubts about City winger Kuridrani, while he scored a couple of tries he also stuffed up a couple, and showed no thought with his first try running out wide when he could have dotted the ball down nearly under the posts. All in all it was a good hit out for the first game from both sides a couple of young blokes showed why they are on the radar, I did like Jim Stewart from the Stars and Kerevi from City was deservedly man of the match.
Don
Roar Rookie
FOS, are you saying the game at Bond uni will be free entry?