The Sydney Rays have bounced back from their first loss of the season last week, defeating Brisbane City by six points on Sunday afternoon.
Final score
Brisbane City 32
Sydney Rays 38
Defending NRC champions Brisbane City will be searching for just their second win of the 2016 season when they host the Sydney Rays.
It’s been a rough season for the defending champions, and now they find themselves in a must-win position half way through the season.
Brisbane’s only win came in week two over the currently-winless Western Sydney Rams, and they have not looked good since.
City will be forced to play without scrumhalf Nick Frisby, who is on Wallabies duty, but they will have Michael Gunn back, who missed last week’s game due to illness. Adam Korczyk also finds his way back into the squad, as he returns from a knee injury.
The Rays are coming off their first loss of the season, going down to table leaders New South Wales Country Eagles by 20-points.
Unlike the Country Eagles, before that loss the Rays had times where they seemed uneasy in defence, particularly against Queensland Country in round three.
The Rays will welcome Jack Dempsey back into the squad, but will be without Nick Palmer who will miss out due to a hamstring tear.
The last time these two sides played was in the 2015 season. It was a much better year for Brisbane City, as they took the 55 – 29 win at home.
Prediction
This is a must-win game for Brisbane City, and it is a very winnable game as well. Expect them to get the job done, but don’t expect it to be pretty.
Brisbane City by 5
Kick-off: 3pm AEST
Venue: Ballymore Oval, Brisbane
Table position: Brisbane City sixth, Sydney Rays third
Last meeting: Brisbane City 55 – 29 Sydney RaysBRISBANE CITY: Pettowa Paraka, Andrew Ready, Sam Talakai (c), David Findlay-Henaway, Lukhan Tui, Luke Beauchamp, Michael Gunn, Isi Naisarani, Moses Sorovi, Jake McIntyre, Alex Gibbon, Patrick James, Toby White, Chris Kuridrani, Brad Lacey.
Bench: Matt Mafi, Markus Vanzati, Feao Fotuaika, Criff Tupou, Adam Korczyk, Angus Fowler, Mitch Felsman, Jack De Guingand.SYDNEY: Rory O’Connor, Damien Fitzpatrick, Lawrance Hunting, Connor Vest, James Brown, Jack Dempsey, Michael Smith, Michael Wells, Matt Lucas (c), Angus Sinclair, Harry Jones, Irae Simone, Con Foley, Josh Turner, Jonathan Malo.
Bench: James Hilterbrand, Ezra Luxton, Alain Miriallakis, Adrian Hall, Chris Alcock, Dewet Roos, Lochie Creagh, Seb Wileman.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
Bang on. It appears players have really begun to get their heads around what is the minimum required levels of fitness etc. at this level. Which has lead to just a fantastic season so far. A number of the amateurs are actually loking fairly comfortable at this level. There's a couple of local backs from Perth that the Force be watching intently. Great to see.
Boomeranga
Guest
Yeah, first time it's happened. There are some good young blokes around from a NSW perspective, and dropping to three teams seems to have made a big difference, but overall it seems to me like the amateurs are more prepared for this now. Not just the NSW teams, but across them all. It isn't as easy this year to pick the full timers based on physical appearance.
Celtic334
Guest
I'm just happy to have rugby at this time of the year. As for promoting lose play, I'd counter that with saying the biggest issue in Australia atm is a lack of skills and creativity from 1-15. This competition promotes working on those weaknesses, plus I dare say a traditional slog-a-thon could see someone like foxsports not showing interest in the product therefore leaving us with no money to afford any competition.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
That's essentially it. The speed of play is what catches players out more than anything else. If the tackle isn't effective enough the attacking team can really apply the pressure. I also agree with the idea of taking the points as a means of letting the opposition off. Quite often penalties are conceded when the pressure is beginning to bend the line. It's more palatable to cop the three than 5-7 points. In that environment you can fall off your defensive game a little and not necessarily suffer to stiff of a points penalty. Not in the NRC. You stuff up and you're likely to be down 6 or more points for your mistakes. It also has to be considered that as these sort of variations make their way up the tree loose play will lessen a bit. Still hopefully see more tries.
AndyS
Guest
If the points are causing loose play, I suspect it is because the fast play on/immediate set piece challenge more obviously catches players out of position. For mine, stopping to take the kick doesn't create "integrity" in the contest so much as allow laggardly defenses to stay in the contest by giving away the penalty instead of the try. Not sure I agree about penalties then building pressure either...perhaps seen too many teams giving them up in order to relieve pressure. Can't be both...
Paul
Guest
Matt Burke wrote of his dislike for the points system promoting loose play that doesn't serve you in a test arena where penalties are an important part of building pressure. I say you can practice your penalty kicking at training. Playing to chance your arm and throw it around is only going to in the long term improve both ball handling skills and defensive scrambling. Looks untidy at the moment but I think it's the kind of in game training aussie teams need.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
Nah, keep the points system as is. Ref Houston just needed to be a little more generous with his YC's to have sorted out the issues. Has generally worked out well. Rays should be back in 2nd place having only dropped one game to tbe currently undefeared NSW Country. Also, I think this may be a first but Rd 5 is the 1st round this season (possibly ever) to see all three NSW have wins.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
Simone is contracted with the Tahs.
Harry
Guest
Rays win 38-32 5 tries each in a good close game. Ref lost a bit of control and consistency in the last 20 minutes but like the players, I guess the NRC is about development of officials. Lots of strong individual performances, albeit against a backdrop of overly loose play. Time for the NRC to revert to 3 point penalties and 5 point tries? Think that might restore the integrity of the contest a bit. Rays will be hard to beat with that classy backline, forwards working as a unit and strong bench. Allcock's turnovers the difference in the last 10 minutes.
Harry
Guest
Rays win 38-32 5 tries each in a good close game. Ref lost a bit of control and consistency a bit in the last 20 minutes but like the players, I guess the NRC is about development as well as performance of officials. Lots of strong individual performances, albeit against a backdrop of overly loose play. Time for the NRC to revert to 3 point penalties and 5 point tries? Think that might restore the integrity of the contest a bit. Rays will be hard to beat with that classy backline, forwards working as a unit and strong bench. Allcock's turnovers the difference in the last 10 minutes.
Harry
Guest
Not great defence but superb fast run by Dempsey and in under the posts. 24-12 to the Rays at halftime.
Harry
Guest
Simone in under the posts after a great angle run and perfect pass from Lucas. Very impressive after a good scrum battle, which is a pleasing feature of this game.
Harry
Guest
Good open first quarter at Ballymore. Some points: - Unfortuantely for us Ready promoters, his lineout throwing still poor and IMO below test level. He needs to improve this (and Yes I know TPN has gone his whole career being a poor thrower). Strong around the ground though. - I am again impressed by McIntyre who looks a far better player than the SR version. As I write McIntyre dives over from in close. - Is Simone signed for an SR side? If not, he should be. - Good move by the Force to sign Naisiarnani, looks SR quality to me. - Tui again in beast mode, Reds have a good backup player in this guy and a great long term prospect. 12-8 to Brisbane at the 28 minute mark of the first half.