It doesn’t take much for the National Rugby Championship to quietly slip out of view, but there’s no doubt a simultaneous Rugby World Cup in our timezone has made things especially tough for the NRC this season.
Regardless, and as has been the case every season of its six-season existence, anyone who has found the live streams or attended games in person has once again been treated to some wonderful rugby.
Last weekend’s final round delivered the obligatory curveballs, with a couple of top four teams suffering losses, and finding themselves out of the semi-final running.
For NSW Country, this would’ve been hard to take after they ran in the top two and the top three at worst through seven rounds. A final round loss to the Canberra Vikings meant they slipped out of the top four by a point.
Ian Prior of the Force (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Queensland Country were the other team to miss out, losing to the Drua in Fiji, and then watching on as Brisbane City beat Melbourne to overtake them and take fourth spot. There hasn’t been much between the two Queensland sides, in truth, but there was always a feeling that there was only room for one of them.
Which leaves us with Saturday and Sunday’s semi-finals – and this how the sides got there.
Western Force (first) v Brisbane City (fourth) – UWA Sport Park, Perth; Saturday 12:00pm AWST/3:00pm AEDT
I expected the Force to be very strong in the NRC, coming into the competition as the only side with any form line, coming off a full Global Rapid Rugby campaign. And it didn’t take long for that favouritism to materialise.
A one-point win at home in a 99-point thriller against Queensland Country in Round 1 got the ball rolling, but it was the subsequent wins over Fiji in Fiji, Melbourne, and Canberra that cemented them as the team to beat in 2019.
Their one and only loss came in Round 5 against NSW Country, and they then locked down their first ever home final and minor premiership with wins over Brisbane City and Sydney. I think they remain odds on to host the NRC Final in Perth next weekend.
Brisbane City always looked like a dangerous side, but inconsistency has been their undoing at times.
A hard-fought opening round draw against the Drua was followed by an impressive win over Sydney and a one-point loss to the Vikings in Canberra, leaving them mid-table.
Their run home was better, just; a win over NSW Country at home that was much more comprehensive than the final score suggested, an Andy Purcell Cup loss to Queensland Country and a narrow loss to the Force in Perth, before accounting for Melbourne.
After both NSW Country and Queensland Country lost, a win was all City needed to leapfrog them both, and that’s how it played out.
They’ll be up against it facing the Force in front of the parochial supporters on the MacGillivray Oval hill, but they’ve given themselves a chance.
Canberra Vikings v Fijian Drua – Viking Park, Canberra, Sunday 3:00pm AEDT
Canberra were always the other team to start favourites for me, even with their Wallabies contingent out and some senior players moving on, and Tommy Cusack switching over to Sevens for the summer, it was still a strong squad they put together.
But like most NRC seasons, the Vikings started their campaign a bit up-and-down, not stringing two wins together for the first four rounds. A strong win over Melbourne was followed by a disappointing loss to Queensland Country, followed by a narrow win over Brisbane City and then a lacklustre loss to the Force in Perth.
But the last three games all at home was always going to set them up, and that’s what transpired. A solid win over Fiji, a comfortable win over Sydney, and then last week’s hard-fought win over NSW Country to secure the home semi and with it, the perfect tune-up for the finals. They’re the Force’s biggest threat for the title, for mine.
Mosese Voka of the Fijian Drua. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
The defending champions, the Fijian Drua, brought a weaker team into the 2019 NRC for mine, and I still think that to be true, with upwards of a dozen of last year’s squad currently in Japan. But that just makes their late run to qualify third even more impressive.
After three rounds, I thought their title defence was in trouble; a draw with Brisbane City, a loss at home to the Force, and another draw with NSW Country leaving them with just four points after three games and needing to win everything on their run home.
They nearly did that. They thumped Sydney 76-29 in Round 4, lost to Canberra in Canberra, and then hoisted the wet sail – pun intended – coming home with wins over Melbourne and Queensland Country.
The door was left open for them to sneak into the top four, and there’s no doubt they’ll be a better chance against Canberra with a 3pm kick-off – memories remain fresh of their last trip to the Nation’s Capital, when a 7:30 kick-off in early September left them shivering for eighty minutes.
Both NRC semi-finals are live on Fox Sports, Kayo, and RUGBY.com.au across the weekend.
ethan
Guest
True, but no reason why not. Is the amateur rugby in Sydney that much worse than everywhere else? Seems hard to believe, when we're told so often its the best. It seems to me that the organisation is still getting things wrong in terms of player selection and management.
JamesDuncan
Roar Guru
In 2018 they combined for one win (Country beating Sydney). This year they got four between them plus a draw. Perhaps that's a sign of progress.
JamesDuncan
Roar Guru
I was there when they played Sydney a fortnight ago. Great place to catch a game.
Brett McKay
Expert
They're impacted EFF, sure, but I don't think you can say a team that finishes minor premiers is struggling!!
Brett McKay
Expert
Ideally, sure, but there isn't a professional or semi professional comp in the World where every team is a contender..
Ex force fan
Guest
The Force is struggling with many injuries and lost players to RWC and to Europe. The team that played GRR looks very different from the team is playing the NRC finals.
ethan
Guest
Ideally you would have 8 competitive teams, I still only see 7. Every year we get an article about how Sydney are better prepared or whatnot before the NRC, and every year they come last.
Brett McKay
Expert
Nice! It's that sort of rugby; pie, chips and beer!! :rugby: :thumbup:
Brett McKay
Expert
Curious decision on a number of fronts, then...
Brett McKay
Expert
Never made a semi, which makes their three titles in five years all the more impressive. Honestly Jock, you just make yourself look more stupid every time you comment. And you sought this article out yourself, so you've gone out of your way to look stupid. Kudos for that at least. :roll:
Brett McKay
Expert
No, only said to be minor RW, but not minor enough that it could wait until the end of the NRC, obviously!
Reilly
Roar Rookie
Had a quick look and the kick was inside the 22 on the 15 metre line so you wouldn’t think the ball falling short of the dead ball line would be the issue although it’s possible they didn’t want to risk a rebound off the upright perhaps. I’d say the players out there didn’t know any better because every one of them looked content when the ball was kicked out... still leaves you wondering what the coaching staff were doing not running a message out and/or letting the players know of the match situation. Here I was thinking the strong second half goal line defense was because Brisbane were intent on a third place finish!
ScottD
Roar Guru
GO THE FORCE!!!!!
Fin
Guest
Hi Brett, I was at the City game last weekend. Highlight for me was noticing Brad Thorn in the crowd. He was like a casual punter. He had a pie and chips and a beer in his hand and was just watching the footy with mates. Decked out in a t-shirt and boardies. No note book in sight.
Rugby wizard
Guest
Sounds serious,will he miss a large portion of super rugby?
Malo
Guest
Yeah qlders are just world beaters. Never make a semi. The truth is nsw see no purpose in this comp.
Brett McKay
Expert
Reckon the Force remain firm favourites Chookman. Very good side, playing good rugby..
Brett McKay
Expert
The avenue is there, and there were a couple of Illawarra and/or Newcastle players picked for NSW Country in the first few seasons. But the reality is the cream of the country talent is in Sydney. My understanding is a bit over half the Eagles squad were Country origin or have Country ties (some came down to Sydney from Qld, for eg)
Brett McKay
Expert
Reilly, the tie-breaking for the NRC is points differential firstly, then the result between the two teams, then most tries scored. Brisbane and Fiji tied in their game, and had scored one more try going into the last round (they both scored 4 tries in these last games). Fiji’s win over Qld Country gave them 17 points and a differential of +17, too. Going into the game, Brisbane City’s differential was +12, but they needed to win the game first and foremost to get to 17 points. A BP would’ve got them to 18pts, obviously, but Melbourne’s second half fightback put paid to that. So it’s a fair question you raise, because even with the late Melbourne try, City were still in line to get the 4pts for the win, so that gets them into 4th. And a PG would’ve put them ahead of Fiji’s differential by one. I’d be stunned if they sums hadn’t been done, so I can only wonder the range (and therefore not putting the ball dead) was a reason?
Brett McKay
Expert
And in fairness Andy, this year has seen improvements in the way both NSW teams were structured and played. NSW Country were unlucky not to play finals, and Sydney were a lot better than their record shows..