Despite scoring the final two tries of the game, Queensland Country will stay winless after three rounds of the NRC, going down to the top-of-the-table Sydney Rays by eight points.
It was a late fightback from Country, but they had left themselves too much work to do at the break after an ordinary first half.
Final score:
Queensland Country 22
Sydney Rays 30
Queensland Country will be looking for their first win of the 2016 NRC season when they host the top-of-the-table Sydney Rams.
Coming off losses to the University of Canberra Vikings and the Melbourne Rising in their last two respective fixtures, Queensland Country find themselves sitting dead last on the NRC ladder, and the only side not to have any points on the table.
The loss has prompted key changes within the squad, as Ben Daley moves up front, and Eto Nabuli replaced by Liam Jurd on the wing.
Queensland haven’t won a single game since Round 6 of the 2015 season when they beat the New South Wales Country Eagles, and face a big challenge ahead of them at Bond University.
Coming off two big opening wins, the Sydney Rams are looking to make it three in a row, and kick Queensland Country while they are down.
After a 20-point win over the Western Sydney Rams on opening day, the Rays went on to dominate the Perth Spirit with another 20-point win.
The Spirit scored within three minutes, but it was all Rays for the remaining 77.
It’s not all fun and games for the Rays however, having lost backrower Hugh Sinclar for the rest of the NRC season after he suffered a medial ligament injury at training.
Prediction
An in-form Rays side will be taking on a struggling Country side. Unless Queensland come up with something special, they will be in for a long afternoon.
Rays by 30
Kick-off: 3pm AEST
Venue: Bond University
Table position: Queensland Country eighth, Sydney Rays first
Last meeting: Sydney Rays 50 – 32 Queensland CountryQueensland Country
Ben Daley, Alex Casey, Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodder, Rob Simmons, Tyrell Barker, Conor Mitchell, Jack Cornelsen, James Tuttle, Mitch Third, Liam Jurd, Duncan Paia’aua, Izaia Perese, Liam McNamara, Tom Banks.
Bench: Feleti Kaitu’u, Sef Fa’agase, Kirwan Sanday, Angus Scott-Young, Maclean Jones, Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa, Mack Mason, Tyrone Lefau.Sydney Rays
Ezra Luxton, Damien Fitzpatrick, Lawrance Hunting, Connor Vest, Nick Palmer, Harry Bergelin/James Brown, Will Miller, Michael Wells, Matt Lucas (c), Angus Sinclair, Harry Jones, Irae Simone, Con Foley, Richard Woolf, Cameron Clark.
Bench: James Hilterbrand, Rory O’Connor, Mitch Lewis, Adrian Hall, Harry Bergelin/James Brown, Dewet Roos, Sam Lane, Seb Wileman.
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