The National Rugby Championship hits the knockout stages this weekend coming, and if both semi-finals go with the seedings, we’ll have the competition’s first all-NSW final. And that won’t be a bad thing at all.
NSW Country face Melbourne Rising in the first semi, in Newcastle on Saturday, then the Sydney Rays host Perth Spirit at Pittwater Rugby Park on Sydney’s northern beaches on Sunday.
Happily, the four best teams have got through to this stage, which we wouldn’t have been able to say had the Rays really thumped Melbourne on Sunday and the Uni of Canberra Vikings fell into fourth.
Despite some pretty handy young talent on their roster, Canberra shuffled their backline combinations throughout the competition, ensuring no continuity, no confidence for said young players, a midfield that leaked points in waves, and as a result, left a team who once again had to fall back on the lineout drive to find points.
Melbourne, despite being slow starters in the last fortnight, have still shown throughout the NRC that they can construct tries and find points when they’re needed.
Country and the Rising were separated by just two points when they faced off in Round 3, and despite getting out to a decent halftime lead, the Eagles were very nearly run down. Melbourne will take plenty of confidence from that game, but they’ll also know that if they can start well, they’re a good front-running side.
Country could yet be boosted by the return of Wallabies tourists Tom Robertson and Tolu Latu, which would shore up the scrum issues they’ve experienced in recent weeks, but by the same token, Melbourne could also get James Hanson and Lopeti Timani back.
But the Eagles weren’t minor premiers by accident. They’re a very good attacking side, and particularly a very good counter-attacking side, who can run in tries from any distance. They are deserved favourites.
The Rays will probably start favourites in the second semi, but they and Perth are pretty evenly matched, both with good defensive setups.
Perth’s hopes ride on Jonno Lance’s shoulders, and they’re a significantly better team when he’s on the field. The Rays don’t rely on any one player, and they boast so many players in excellent form.
Both the Spirit and Rays like to pressure sides with their defence and then capitalise on the mistake – on this front, the centre pairing battle between the Rays’ Irae Simone and Con Foley and Perth’s Ben Tapuai and Billy Meakes is more than a bit mouth-watering.
If the two matches go the way of the favourites, then Country and the Rays will meet in the final on October 22, which I understand Country will take back to Newcastle if they’re to be hosts.
This will be an important clash for several reasons.
Over the first two seasons of the NRC, and even with one NSW-based side making the semi-finals in both seasons, the uptake of the competition in Sydney had been underwhelming; lukewarm at best. (Click to Tweet)
In 2016, even before a ball was kicked in anger, it was noticeable how much more engaged the Waratahs were with the three NRC teams, and this would be likely down to the arrival of Andrew Hore into the corner office.
Coming through the ranks with Canterbury and the Crusaders in New Zealand, Hore knows the importance of a strong domestic competition, and how the Waratahs will ultimately benefit.
“I’d like to congratulate our three NSW teams on their success so far this season,” he said just last week in the run-in to the final round, and with all three teams still in the finals race.
“The Rays, Rams and Eagles have each delivered some very thrilling rugby, and it is very exciting to see so many talented players, from the country, city and west, shine throughout the season. It is extremely pleasing to see all three sides with the opportunity at a finals gig and I would like to wish them all the very best.”
The Waratahs have finally embraced the competition this season, and their social and online contributions and promotions have been as good as any organisation involved. In actual fact, the Waratahs have even picked up the online and social media slack left by some of the NSW teams at times.
This, in turn, has definitely seen more ‘buy in’, to use that clichéd term, among NSW and Sydney rugby fans. Crowds have been steady all year, but the Rays and Rams certainly saw more people through the gates for their last home games.
Further, the long-hailed strength of the Sydney club rugby scene took a bit of a hit over the first two seasons, when the average Shute Shield player was shown to be not significantly better than their counterparts from the around the country.
On that front, the decision to cull the Sydney Stars was well and truly justified within the first few games. There’s no doubt the Eagles, Rays, and Rams were stronger in 2016 because of the consolidation.
Two semi-finals in NSW will help TV audiences this weekend, and that will likely remain the case should the decider be played in Newcastle or Sydney the following weekend.
There’s still resistance among the club faithful, of course, and that is entirely their prerogative. But that resistance has certainly waned in 2016; not just on these pages, but on social media and other rugby outlets too. The general feeling about the NRC this season has been overwhelmingly more positive than in 2014 or 2015. Any remaining criticisms now are largely superficial.
The closest NRC competition to date will see a new champion emerge in 2016, and if it’s a NSW-based team – like I think it will be – it might just be the biggest shot in the arm the competition has received since its inception.
skid
Guest
Yeah thanks Andy, that's right. Just like modern Barbarian sides on tour aren't built to win but showcase skills, same with this concept. It would be interesting to see how they go. Hey everyone gets thrashed by Kiwi sides so never going to say NRC would win but love to see some of the non super guys like Simone, Gordon, Naisarani, Perisi, Lolohea, Viiga, Figg, Rodda mixed with some new to super rugby guys like Tupou, Dempsey, Staniforth, Hanigan, English, Paia'aua, Godwin, Fitzpatrick etc. You get the idea.
Sheikh
Roar Rookie
The Spirit did quite well at identifying talent back in the 2007 ARC, too! I think the following players got their first taste of professional rugby back then with Perth: Nick Cummins & Keiran Longbottom (Force legends!) Scott Fardy Sitaleki Timani Ed Jenkins & James Stannard (Sevens captain & vice-captain) Luke McLean (Italy fullback) Ratu Nasiganiyavi - now known as Nemani Nadolo!
Sheikh
Roar Rookie
Missed out mentioning Prior, too, although I don't blame you as he's been playing as much 10 as 9 recently with Jono Lance's injuries. Prior might be a good player to take on the EOYT, given his versatility, and a handy emergency kicker, too.
AndyS
Guest
Which all seems a bit of a straw man to me. There was previously a couple of matches that pitted the amateur NRC players against the (inherently) amateur Heartland players. And the starting point for the discussion was skid suggesting a select team from the NRC without Wallabies (i.e. still including SR players) v the MC winners. No-one suggested non-SR NRC v a MC team...that is in your head. Personally I suspect skid's suggestion would make a good match but would perhaps need to be tempered - you could probably select a whole team worth of SR players from the NRC.
Ruka
Guest
And that is exactly my point Mason. It beggars belief that anyone would think that an NRC team compiling non super rugby players would beat a team from the Mitre 10 Cup Chamiponship let alone the Premiership less their super rugby players. Some of the top Mitre 10 Cup teams development squads would run riot over most of those Heartland teams.
Mason
Guest
The point is rebel, had the NZ team been selected from players not playing super rugby but Playing Premiership or Championship rugby you would have a team of a much higher calibre than those playing NRC and certainly of a much higher calibre of player playing in the Heartland championship. You are still not playing the best of the rest after super rugby players are excluded and there are easily another 4-500 guys playing ITM cup or development that are not playing Super Rugby. You need to compare apples with apples and sadly you aren't, I would confidently suggest the NRC guys would get thrashed by an ITM cup squad less super rugby players. Why you may ask? The competition is of a much higher standard than the NRC. The Heartland championship lads were hardly thrashed now were they and like I said they are 3rd and 4th division teams.
Marlins Tragic
Guest
Matt Lucas? Best half back in Australia not in Wallaby gold!
Brett McKay
Expert
I don't believe anything is in place for this season, Sam, no...
rebel
Guest
Reminds me of an old rugby trip rule where we had to stop and drink in every town that started with W.
rebel
Guest
Bakkies, you quoted Big Dog then still go on about Tala Gray playing in the Shute Shield. Big Dog admitted he should move on to a professional set up. Also he said comparable club competitions. Top 14 and Heineken are not comparable. Agree with most of Big Dog's last paragraph.
Sam
Guest
Rebel completely agree. I couldnt watch it but from all reports it was an exercise entirely worthwhile. In my opinion I think the standard of the avg NRC player ( minus SR players) both individually and collectively ranges between the Mitre 10 and the Heartland competitions.
Sam
Guest
Brett, will the NRC/Australian Barbarians tour NZ this year? If so, surely several of the names mentioned so far would be shoe ins?
CUW
Guest
it will depend on each persons' level of interest. for eg. there are thousands who go sit at test cricket for 5 days. as an ex school cricketer, i have given up on tests becoz it was taxing for me to play for 3 days ( let alone watch it for 6 hours a day). now i watch only T20. ur correct regarding time - but i dont think a 30 minute addition will make any change to many people. and once ur there it wont make much of a change , unless it is really boring. i think where rugger has not moved forwards is from entertainment side. i have not seen many things happening before or in between the match. but if u go to Dubai or HK 7S there is a hell of a lot going on that some peeps even miss the rugger. look at cricket ; they are getting the spectators involved. maybe crowd catch , maybe funny dress , maybe the singing like barmy army. i dont see that in rugger. that is why i think the " time " becomes an issue . as the saying goes " time flies when ur having fun". anyways , i think the 9 try game was a blip ; not every day u see such action among top ranked teams. :) but in miter 10 , definitely. there are 12 try games ( from both sides ) i saw.
ClarkeG
Guest
Biggar is about 1.6 secs. Farell similar. Carter slightly longer.
ClarkeG
Guest
Cuw I have to disagree. The modern spectator has so many choices. If we keep extending the time it takes for an average match to be completed the more we will give the potential spectator reason to not go. And that applies equally to the TV spectator.
CUW
Guest
i know - the issue will be with television time slots as i said above , but not with peeps at the game. the way i see it , time is irrelevant to a spectator as long as the action is entertaining. only when it is boring that ppl leave early (or to catch the train as they do in England footy matches). but the issue with time extention is with television as it may cut into another program. the other alternative is to do like 7S , drop kick for points.
ClarkeG
Guest
Cuw stopping the clock for conversions will ensure the kicker takes the full allocated time of 90 sec. All Blacks 9 tries in a game. 9 x 90 sec = 810 sec = 13+ mins. plus all the extra time for TMO reviews, injury breaks, substitutions. No not a good idea.
Bakkies
Guest
'Of course one would expect a talented player like Gray to move to Toulouse and chase the big money there rather than stay in Sydney, but the Intrust Super Shute Shield (I always include the sponsor’s name as the comp would be in big trouble without their investment) stacks up well against any comparable club competition in the world, in my opinion.' Seriously, Tala Grey earns his living playing professional Rugby. He can't do that playing Shut Shield running against semi pro/amateur players and not earning match payments from Super Rugby as he hardly gets a run there. Playing in France is several levels above the Shut Shield and allows to him to set himself and his family up after Rugby. People like yourselves and others who compare the Shut Shield to the Top 14 and not the Heineken Cup Sponsored by Heineken are deluded.
ClarkeG
Guest
Any goal kickers out there?
ClarkeG
Guest
I will check Biggar - come back to you on that.