It just capped off the season so perfectly in so many ways.
Queensland Country’s 42-28 win over the Canberra Vikings to take their maiden NRC title caps off a very obvious fairy tale turnaround, and one that will just as obviously have Queensland Reds fans feeling confident of a similar up-bump heading into the 2018 Super Rugby season.
I said in last week’s preview and several other radio and podcast chats that there really wasn’t much between the two sides other than the game was being played in Canberra. When James Slipper wasn’t named last Friday, I thought that might tip the scrum slightly towards the Vikings, but it still wouldn’t be enough to have them installed as raging favourites.
And happily, that’s the way it the match played out. The scoreboard shows a fourteen-point final margin, but I don’t think anyone watching the game would say Country were a fourteen-point better side on the night.
It was a brilliant NRC Final, a close contest that could’ve swung either way until Country scored the two match-winning tries in the last four minutes. Of the four Finals played now, this one was easily the most fiercely contested.
In the inaugural Final in 2014, Brisbane City were already leading 29-21 when Junior Laloifi scored the runaway try that sealed the win over Perth. The following year, City only led 13-10 when Alex Gibbon sealed their undefeated back-to-back title in the 72nd minute, but Canberra had done well to remain that close for that long.
Even last year, Perth were well ahead 20-8 before NSW Country staged something of a late fightback to score in the 74th minute and bring the margin back to four. But even then, Perth’s defence was so effective that the damage had been done.
This year it was all about momentum, and particularly momentum shifts. Country scored first, but then looked in trouble by halftime, by which time the Vikings had scored three converted tries in fifteen minutes. Their scrum was being forced back, and the Vikings – with only two real jumping options – were even stealing lineouts.
Whatever Brad Thorn said to them at the break worked, however, and Country hit back with three converted tries themselves to regain the lead and the momentum by the hour mark. Duncan Paia’aua’s yellow card was a turning point – and while I agree it looked a touch rough, I’ve also seen cards given for very similar examples – with Canberra scoring shortly after to level the scores for the third time in the match.
With four minutes to go, Paia’aua’s second incisive hard-line run of the match saw him crash through to score, and when boom Country try-scoring freak Filipo Daugunu scored from the restart, the match had literally been decided in the space of two-and-a-half minutes.
Yet, despite the closeness, the better team on the night certainly won. By the time Paia’aua crossed for his second try of the night, Country had already dominated both territory and possession for long periods of the second half.
(Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
The final stats sheet reflects this. Country beat 35 defenders to Canberra’s 18, with twice as many offloads, and making 14 clean breaks to the Vikings’ 9. On average, Country made 4.2 metres every time they carried the ball to the Vikings’ 2.6 metres.
The set piece numbers were pretty even, highlighting how Country squared things up in the second half, and the breakdown stats showed both sides won all their own ruck ball, essentially.
The big difference? Canberra missed nearly twice as many tackles as Queensland Country did.
Paia’aua was an obvious choice for the Phil Waugh Medal as the Player of the Final, but I’ll admit to getting a bit caught out in my RUGBY.com.au match report, by pre-emptively giving him the Player of the Season gong as well.
It’s fair to say I was stunned when Caleb Timu’s name was announced. The Country no.8 finished the season really strongly, but I’m far from convinced he was as good as even the Vikings’ Rob Valetini, let alone Paia’aua, whose performance in the Final convinced me it would be enough to have him deservedly recognised.
Timu didn’t even feature in the discussion at no.8 for the RUGBY.com.au Team of the Year; that was a two-way discussion that Isi Naisarani was always going to win out over Jed Holloway. Anyway, it’s a small quibble.
I’ve said a bit of late that while I don’t think it’s been as big a step up in quality from season two to three, season four has definitely been better again; a view fairly widely shared among those covering the competition regularly, and generally agreed by players and coaches.
I was sceptical of the move back to the traditional points-scoring system this season, but I needn’t have been.
In 2016, there were 301 tries scored in 31 games at an average of 9.7 tries per game. The home side took a slight advantage, winning 17 games to 14, at an average score of 36.3 to 34.9, 5.0 tries to 4.7.
(Photo by Jason O’Brien/Getty Images)
In 2017, there were 397 tries scored in 39 games at an average of 10.2 tries per game; a figure that remained pretty constant across the eleven weeks. The home side enjoyed more success, winning 23 games to 15 (with one draw). The home side again averaged 36.3 points per game, to 30.4, 5.5 tries per game to 4.6.
Over the last week, but especially since the final, the comment has been made that the NRC has been better to watch than the Australian Super Rugby derbies. Aesthetically, it’s probably hard to argue with this, but it’s also the kind of judgement that can be safely handed down knowing it can never be proved or disproved.
Either way, it’s an intriguing comment; it doesn’t just recognise the quality of rugby on show during the NRC, but it also reflects a growing legitimacy about the competition as a now-crucial part of the development pathway.
And that’s probably the best part of the 2017 NRC above all else. A brilliant season has genuinely been seen for its on-field brilliance.
Fionn
Guest
Oh, interesting to hear! Cheers, Brett. Guess the news will go public soon, won't it?
Brett McKay
Expert
Fionn (hoping you'll see this), I did see this, and one of the Vikings/Brumbies guys last week let slip that there were more coming. To his credit, once he quickly established that I hadn't heard the news - because I asked the four were (!!) - he put the cat back in the bag...
Bakkies
Guest
TWAS I read the submission that your mate Gary wrote to the Inquiry. It was a good 'story.'
Bakkies
Guest
Senate report is now up https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Futureofrugbyunion/Report There is going to be a ASC and ASIC investigation in to the governance and the Rebels transactions respectively
Bakkies
Guest
Not sure good to see that the Badge is making a comeback
Fionn
Guest
Bakkies, Brett, did you see this? Any idea whom the signing(s) will be? http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/act-sport/act-brumbies-eyeing-off-axed-western-force-talent-20171114-gzl4yb.html Obviously both Colemans (Adam and Robbie) returning "home" to Canberra would be welcomed, but I imagine Meakes or Rona are the most likely. Left of field option—Chance Peni could really increase our outside back stocks.
Bakkies
Guest
Good news on the Brumbies academy with Will Goddard, Seámus Smith, Lachlan Lonergan, Boyd Hollingsworth-Dessent among the list. These are the players that Aus Rugby needs to keep and the Brumbies have done that http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/11/15/brumbies-launch-new-academy
kaiviti
Guest
This years NRC, in comparison to other previous years, has only really come alive since the Fijian Drua were invited to play. The Fijians have brought the excitement, flair and joy of playing Rugby to the tournament that just wast there before. When the Fijian Drua were first invited I made a comment on 'Roar' that this wasn't the first time that Fijian Rugby has helped resurect the flagging interest in Rugby Union in Australia. Maybe it's time that one of the 'Roar' contributers delved into archival material for a story on the 1950's Fijian Rugby Tour.
Train Without A Station
Guest
And the only reason I have to be jealous of the Shute Shield is because it’s full of better rugby players than me. And if I let stuff like that bother me I’d spend my life jealous of a lot of people around the world.
Train Without A Station
Guest
So the swans had 87,000 in total in Sydney, and about 320,000 nationwide? Sounds like more than the Shute Shield. Thanks.
concerned supporter
Guest
TWAS, "And the point is that nobody outside NSW would be interested in Shute Shield. They do and did watch the AFL." More twisted logic from the Guru TWAS. I am sure that Warringah would have plenty of people in Adelaide & Perth, busting to watch the Sydney Shute Shield Final TWAS, why are you jealous of the Shute Shield?Why don't you give the Shute Shield credit for a big year? TWAS,link to Daily Telegraph Article, "https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/shute+/15e4b11ecd668963 " Also, "The Swans only had 61,000 people watching on 7Mate — 8000 fewer than the club footy. It must be said the AFL game was also shown on FoxFooty, but Sydney’s share of a national pay-TV audience of 259,000 was only 26,000." TWAS, Swans, 61,000 on FTA, 26,000 Foxtel (Sydney) FTA far greater than than Foxtel, Apples with Apples Guru. Wish your esteemed ARU had the nous & ability to organize more FTA for Rugby in Australia.
AndyS
Guest
The NRC could be fully professional (at a low level) anytime they like. $30M a year is earmarked for professional player payments; all RUPA has to do is allow that to include NRC players.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
Spud juice, that looks fine structurally, but for one small detail. Who pays for it? Answering that question might tweak the neatness in your design. (By the way I like your design.)
Train Without A Station
Guest
It’s the future, but what generates $57M a year in the mean time? I think it’s foolish to suggest NRC is a viable top tier commercially. Despite the negativity around Super Rugby, it still considerably out rates the NRC. For whatever reasons and factors, today people still prefer Super Rugby to NRC.
Cassandra
Roar Rookie
Thanks Brett. Really interesting article. It's hard to imagine a time when the NRC would be fully professional.
potatojuice
Roar Rookie
1. Scrap Super Rugby. 2. NRC becomes the top tier domestic Rugby competition in Australia. 3. Employ full time someone tech savvy to promote Rugby's active presence on social media, actually make an effort to promote the competition and the sport to the public. 4. YouTube/online streaming is the future of sports, whatever football code.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
It's something that Peter Playford identified last year on the GrenandGoldRugby.com podcasr. The need to elevated these guys competing in the NRC to in essence, full timers during the NRC window. Only then will we truly see something beginning to develop into a true equivalent to that of the Currie Cup or Mitre 10. But for that to occur I think we need to effectively cut a NSW team. Go to Sydney vs Country with significant Waratahs buy in. I'd also like to see the competition window be expanded just a little to ensure 10 weeks of in season play each year at a minimum plus finals. I think it would be quite workable.
Fionn
Guest
Fair point, Brett, maybe a more accurate statement would have been: 'it still wasn't promoted well enough for the average Canberran to be aware of it'. That said, I don't know how they would actually promote it well enough for people to become aware. I just know that, unfortunately, not enough people knew about it. I know a lot of people didn't go due to the weather though.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Bret, I'm a SMH subscriber. I see Tom, but also Paul Scully, Eamonn Tierman, Daniel Gilhooly, Melissa Woods, Justin Chadwick with names on articles in the Rugby Heaven site. Content can be syndicated, not that hard to have a Brett McKay article published there as well. RA should offer the content you produce to other media. I just find it too under-covered. You get articles about fringe sports that have a very low following (just because they are olympic sports), but no coverage for NRC. Its is still small, but not that small anymore.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Ken, I'm with TWAS on this one - two NRC clubs aligned with each SR franchise, with NSW Country feeding and being fed by the Brumbies, and the Spirit aligning with Melbourne. More than that, I think the SR clubs should be obliged to encourage their contracted players to play for a NRC club if not in Wallaby duty (with some control for an even distribution between the NRC clubs and a degree of liberty for starting positions). As to the clubs, they should each just align with one of the two local NRC clubs. I'm an Eastwood supporter, can very easily identify with the Rams. I actually don't see why people find it so difficult to understand. The club where I coached in England, Cobham, was a feeder club to the Harlequins, which ran promotions (kids got discounted tickets), tournaments, clinics and looked at the feeder clubs for their academy. Agree that you can't have perfect player alignment (there might be three great hookers in the feeder clubs), no need to have it be automatic. Just make it the natural pathway. Going back to the Cobham example, a couple of my Cobham boys ended up in the London Irish academy. In terms of timing, I think its so very simple as well - SR and top clubs competition happen in parallel in the first half of the year (roughly), NRC and Wallabies happen in parallel in the second half. Clubs can certainly remain active in the second half of the year, just knowing their top players will be in the NRC. Rams had a few all day events in TG, with lower grades playing in the morning leading up to the NRC match. I couldn't go to watch the whole day (wife gets mad), but did arrive early to catch a bit of the later preliminaries. On that, I think clubs should play opening matches before Tahs games, and NRC teams should play opening matches before Wallabies games. I think the Premier clubs just need to stop the foot dragging and moaning (particularly the eastern suburb ones) and just align and get on with it. A pure club competition isn't going to fly, NRC is a great middle tier.