The crowd turned out to watch a thoroughly entertaining match between Melbourne Rising and the North Harbour Rays on Sunday afternoon at AAMI Stadium in Melbourne.
Both sides showed attacking intent moving the ball from the outset.
The Rising shot out to a commanding lead within the first 20 minutes by scoring three quick fire tries. The Rays to their credit clawed their way back to lead at half time by 26 to 21.
The second half proved just as exciting as the first, evenly poised until the Rising managed to take the lead and pull away in the final 20 minutes.
Stand out performers for the rising were Timani, Debreczeni, Inman and local club player Sefanaia Naivalu who looks to have a bright future. For the Rays captain Peterson was prominent, as were Sefanaia and Fletscheer.
FINAL SCORE:
Melbourne 55
North Harbour 34
The Melbourne Rising will take on the North Harbour Rays in the final match of the opening round of the National Rugby Championship at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 2:00pm (AEST).
Its been a little bit of “heading into the unknown” for all sides in the opening round of the new ARU backed competition.
Not only do the players have new franchises to contend with, which involves them representing a new side with new team mates, but there are also several rule changes that have been thrown at them.
The Melbourne Rising have named seven players from Victoria’s premier Club Rugby competition, the Dewar Shield, in the match day 23 with Box Hill centre Sefanaia Naivalu and Harlequin flanker Sione Taufa starting for the Melbourne Rising alongside thirteen contracted Rabo Direct Rebels players – there are five further Dewar Shield players named on the bench.
Luke Jones, Mitch Inman, Cadeyrn Neville and Tom English are all knocking on the door of the Wallabies and Rising Head Coach Sean Hedger will look to this quartet to lead his side from the front.
The North Harbour Rays who are made up of players from Shute Shield clubs Manly, Warringah, Northern Suburbs and Gordon will be captained by Manly lock Greg Peterson.
Head Coach Geoff Townsend will look at the Super Rugby experience of his opponents on Saturday with a hint of envy, however also Townsend has a strong core of Shute Shield performers in his squad who will be determined to prove a point that they belong at the next echelon.
Gower and Peterson in the second row could be key players for the Rays with both likely looking to the NRC to provide some solace for another heartbreaking near-championship finish in the Shute Shield.
The Rays have some especially exciting outside backs in Feltscheer and Crawford so expect them to look to try to get the ball in the speedsters hands as much as possible.
Prediction: The Rising should have too much big game experience for the Rays – that and home ground advantage should see the Rising run out by 12.
Join The Roar for live score updates from 2:00pm (AEST).
AndyS
Guest
Based on the first round, I'd say there is a good chance the rugby will be a damn sight more professional than the administration of the competition. It's a shame...
Justin3
Guest
3am and my tablet still has score at nil all! I dint often bag the ARU but is there no website for the comp? No streaming either. It is disappointing not to be able to see this. I can watch the vru grand final four crying out loud....
Mike
Guest
"...on what looks like a great moment in sport coverage guys" Why would that make any difference? I didn't seriously think the Macarthur Advertiser had a reporter at the game. ;) The Advertiser only picked up the story because it thought its readership would be interested. And it is a good story.
Rebel Rouser
Guest
Not sure why people feel the need to whinge about stuff like this when they weren't even there. No one who attended is complaining. They didn't open the second level and congregated people to one side. Essentially filled the section, in fact a lot of people who came in late were struggling to find seats. There was a good buzz in the crowd, with a good atmosphere and lots of kids and families there with the ticketing rules. All in all, it was great. Don't talk stuff down when you obviously weren't there. And for the record, this is what it looked like. http://i.imgur.com/QE6bYDA.jpg
Working Class Rugger
Guest
I didn't look up the writers name. Probably should email them to point out the typo present calling the NPC as opposed to the NRC.
paul craggie
Guest
I agree with your point carcass but please don't associate the man implementing quietly the highest immigration program in the western world a conservative. Abbott is a Radical. By perpetuating this myth you are infact helping cement the man's support and the extreme capitalism he and his backers represent.
Brett McKay
Expert
Sorry to pour water on what looks like a great moment in sport coverage guys, but Stathi Paxinos is the rugby writer for Fairfax in Melbourne, and the Macarthur Advertiser has simply picked up the story, in much the same way The Age will run an SMH story...
Carcass
Guest
Funny, you can watch the live streams of Australian ice hockey league, but not the rugger. Get yourselves organised rugby! It isn't 1955, like in Abbot's world.
Bakkies
Guest
I know smart hole. Didn't happen in this game incidently. It might as well be a half time score in the NBL or AFL.
Schuey
Guest
Cheers Brett. Ahh. I was on that page but the scores were obscured on my iphone. When i turn my phone sideways to landscape i can see the first score but not the 2nd as it is cutoff on the right margin. I can't resize the table to view too. The table not configured for ios7 perhaps? At least they tried i guess.
Bakkies
Guest
Exactly but Vic doesn't really have that. Box Hole still hosts the Finals day ffs.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
I might contact them thanking them for their piece. The Advertiser is one of my local papers. Will also ask them to cover the Rams.
Garmos
Guest
Shouldn't u be down there Feakesy?
Simon Bedard
Roar Pro
Solid win by the Rising
Simon Bedard
Roar Pro
:-) well said
Charlie Mackay
Guest
That thing that happens when a defensive player grabs a hold of an attacking player and brings him to ground... Happens quite frequently...
Mike
Guest
Check out this report in a local newspaper from South West Sydney (i.e. not in either Rising's or Rays' territory): http://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/story/2509510/melbourne-rising-opens-national-rugby-championship-with-victory/?cs=1563 Its very complimentary - as good publicity as ARU would want. But they need to somehow get these matches available on TV. Getting them on the third SBS channel or one of the other spares would be fine.
Bakkies
Guest
Assists, fouls, rebounds?
Mike
Guest
Thanks Cam, for putting the work into this. Very sorry I couldn't see it.
Bakkies
Guest
Tackle?