- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
We’re getting into an interesting little part of the National Rugby Championship now. The unbeaten teams – Brisbane City, Sydney Stars, and Uni of Canberra Vikings – could all cement their spot in the semi-finals over the next few weeks.
If you recall last season, Perth snuck into fourth place with just three wins. Brisbane and the Stars already have three wins. For what it’s worth, I think teams will need at least four wins in 2015, but it still means these teams are in the box seat.
Similarly, the three teams yet to record a win – Greater Sydney Rams, Queensland Country and Perth Spirit – are fast entering make-or-break territory, and really must win this weekend just to stay in touch of the fop four. They’re already two wins off the four currently, and they really can’t afford to drop another one.
Reminder
To watch the three games on Saturday, 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 www.BuildcorpNRC.com.au.
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.
Onto the games…
Tonight: Brisbane City v North Harbour Rays at Ballymore Oval, Brisbane; 7:35pm AEST
City won’t be thinking about the finals – or at least that’s what they’ll say publicly – but this game is a really big chance for them to demonstrate their dominance. They’ve won three tough games to date, and this is arguably the ‘easiest’ side they’ve crossed.
They should – should – win this comfortably. Similarly, the Rays will be thinking they very nearly got Melbourne’s measure last week, and so they shouldn’t – shouldn’t – be fazed by taking on the competition leaders. It is, therefore, a big game for both teams.
City have put the Horan-Little Shield up for defence as they’re required to, and have made four changes from the side that won the brutal Queensland derby up in Toowoomba. Hooker Matt Mafi starts his first game for City in place of Andrew Ready and backrower Waita Setu comes back into the starting side for Luke Beauchamp at blindside.
Henry Taefu at 12 joins Samu Kerevi in the centres, and Mika Tela makes his run on debut to partner Chris Kuridrani on the wing. Karmichael Hunt moves to 15, with new cult hero Junior Laloifi dropping back to the bench. Scrumhalf Moses Sorovi and outside back Pat James are also in line to make their debuts from the bench.
The Rays have given young Warringah and 2014 Australian Under-20s prop Rory O’Connor a start at loosehead, in one of a host of changes from the side that pushed Melbourne last Thursday night. Mitch Lewis drops back to the bench, where he’s joined by new recruit, Bond University tighthead Alex Holmes. Harry Bergelin starts at blindside, and Jack Dempsey moves to No.8, both moves forced by Sam Ward taking up a contract in Italy this week.
The NRC’s leading try-scorer, Boyd Killingworth, remains at openside. Cam Treloar drops back to the bench, which gives Ryan Melrose a start at lock, while gun flyhalf Sam Lane looks set to finally make his return from injury from the bench.
Brisbane City: (1-15) Pettowa Paraka, Matt Mafi, Sam Talakai, Ben Hyne, Cadeyrn Neville, Waita Satu, Liam Gill (c), Scott Higginbotham, Nick Frisby, Jake McIntyre, Mika Tela, Henry Taefu, Samu Kerevi, Chris Kuridrani, Karmichael Hunt.
Reserves: Ryan Freeney, Marcus Vanzati, Feao Fotuaika, James Moore, Luke Beauchamp, Moses Sorovi, Patrick James, Junior Laloifi.
North Harbour: (15-1) Reece Hodge, Alex Northam, Dennis Pili-Gaitau, Tom Hill, Tyson Davis, Hamish Angus, Josh Holmes, Jack Dempsey, Boyd Killingworth, Harry Bergelin, Harry Rorke, Ryan Melrose, Lawrance Hunting , Luke Holmes (c), Rory O’Connor.
Reserves: Vance Elliott, Mitch Lewis, Alex Holmes, Cameron Treloar, Ruairidh Wilson, Tim Donlan/Richard Woolf, Sam Lane, Michael Adams.
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann
Tickets: Adults $15, concessions $10, juniors $5 when purchased online via www.redsrugby.com.au, and QRU-registered kids under 16 free with a paying adult.
Saturday: NSW Country Eagles v Sydney Stars at Ray Chillingworth Oval, Tamworth; 3:00pm AEST
The Eagles take their first NRC game of 2015 to the bush, with a big crowd expected in Tamworth. The food and wine festival that was a massive hit at Woollahra Oval two weeks ago is on again and there is genuine anticipation as a lot of country boys – on both teams – return home for a game in front of familiar faces.
Country could draw level with Melbourne with a win, and they’ll be super keen after a bye week. The Stars, similarly want to carry their momentum with big games against the Eagles and Canberra Vikings next week.
Country have been dealt a couple of blows, the major one being Australian lock and Quirindi product Sam Carter ruled out of the clash, having only just played for the Wallabies in Chicago against the USA last weekend. Hard-running outside centre Ed Stubbs is also out of the Tamworth clash, and so is Berry product and workhorse flanker Will Miller.
The loss of Carter will be somewhat made up for with the inclusion of his Brumbies teammate Tom Stanforth. And could we see the first sighting of Dubbo boy, former Waratahs and Reds flanker, Beau Robinson in a Country jersey?
The Stars have a few country lads keen for the clash, too, with Gunnedah boy Angus Roberts steering the team around from flyhalf, and Coonabarabran-born flanker David Hickey continuing to lead the team well.
Unfortunately, Tamworth local Paddy Ryan misses the game with injury. The Stars are also waiting on confirmation of the status of Wallabies hooker James Hanson, who like Carter, played in the Chicago Test. Dave Dennis was rested last week, but may well come into an otherwise unchanged side.
Teams to be announced today. Referee is Michael Hogan.
Tickets: Available at the gate, or via www.nswcountryeagles.com, with adults $15 and kids under 16 free.
Saturday: Greater Sydney Rams v Queensland Country at Forshaw Rugby Park, Sydney; 3:00pm AEST
It’s been a tough start to the season for the Rams, and after a thumping at the hands of the Vikings last weekend in Canberra, they now face a team in Queensland Country who will be just as desperate as the Rams themselves. And things aren’t going much better off the field for the Rams either.
After having the training lights turned off on them last week, the Rams this week found themselves locked out of their Concord Oval training base, because of its proximity to the tunnelling starting point for the WestConnex arterial road infrastructure project in Sydney’s inner west.
On the field, the Rams are hopeful that some – if not all – of their injured group of quality players will be back in the orange and blue this week. Backrowers Jed Holloway and Marcus Carbone will all be welcome additions for the 2015, as would flyhalf Jai Ayoub, who was a late withdrawal last week in Canberra. Rohan Saifoloi looked promising in the No.10 last week, but he’ll likely continue his learning this week off the bench. Hooker Hugh Roach is sad to be still a few weeks away.
My Queensland Country spies were very excited this week, barely waiting for my call to tell me Radike Samo would be good to go this weekend, after being forced off early last weekend in Toowoomba with concerns about his jaw. Chris Feauai-Sautia remains in some doubt, while prop Haydn Hirsimaki will also miss the game.
Hirsimaki’s absence means a starting berth for one of Reuben Leilua or Taniela Tupou, which will be confirmed this morning. Country feel like they’ve been playing pretty well, and are a better side than the table indicates, and it’s certainly hard to believe they’re 0-3 currently.
Late update: I’m advertising for new Queensland Country spies. Radike Samo was ruled out of the game on Wednesday evening.
Teams to be announced today. Referee is Andrew Lees.
Tickets: Available at the gate – adults $15 and kids under 15 free – or head to www.ramsrugby.com.au.
Saturday: Perth Spirit v University of Canberra Vikings at McGillivray Oval, UWA Park, Perth; 5:30pm AEST
It’s a massive game for the Spirit, there’s no other way of putting it. Even though they scraped into the finals last season with three wins in a very tight mid-table group, I have my doubts that even four wins will be enough in 2015. And for Perth, that means they need to win every game from here on to repeat their 2014 effort.
But in their way are the Vikings, who were clinical in their disposal of the Rams last weekend in Canberra. It’s clear after just two games that the 2015 Vikings are almost nothing like the team that underwhelmed everyone last season.
Perth, happily, will welcome back some very handy players this week, with Angus Cottrell back in the side, and in for his first game in 2015 as captain. Tetera Faulkner is also back at tighthead, ready to lead what I thought was the best scrum in the NRC in the opening weeks.
Flyhalf Luke Burton is back from a smashed nose, suffered in the first few minutes of the season, and that will push wunderkind Nick Jooste back to the bench. Junior Rasolea shuffles in one to 12, with Ammon Matuauto coming into 13 and Kyle Godwin having a week off. Ryan Louwrens will also start at scrumhalf, with Ian Prior dropping back to the bench.
Canberra tell me that Aidan Toua pulled up well last week, and is in the mix to start, while big winger Lausi’i Taliauli, who was forced off with a hamstring complaint, will travel with the side to Perth on Friday morning.
In what is expected to be a largely unchanged side – and why would they – hooker Robbie Abel returns to Perth, where he spent two seasons in the Force system, and scored six tries in Perth’s last six games last season, in their run to the NRC Final. The Vikings tell me they’ve lost only two of 32 lineouts on Abel’s throw in their two games so far, just one of the reasons their set piece is so strong.
Teams to be announced today. The referee is Ed Martin.
Tickets: Available at the gate at McGillivray Oval, where the Spirit want you down there in big numbers to #FillTheHill. Adults $15 and kids under 16 free.
Melbourne Rising have the bye.
Table at the start of Round 4
Brisbane City 14
Sydney 13
Uni of Canberra 10
Melbourne 8
North Harbour 5
NSW Country 4
Greater Sydney 1
Queensland Country 1
Perth 0