Four Return From Injury For Spirit -v- Rays Semi-Final
Spirit v Rays Semi-Final
The ET Perth Spirit will play the Central Coast Rays in this Saturday’s Mazda Australian Rugby Championship (MARC) semi-final bolstered by the return of four influential playmakers.
Back rowers David Pocock and Richard Brown, and outside backs Junior Pelesasa and Haig Sare will rejoin the squad they left through injury during the course of the competition.
Pocock comes back into the team at openside flanker and Brown at No. 8 while Pelesasa will play at inside centre, with Sare starting on the bench.
ET Perth Spirit Head Coach John Mulvihill says the team is under no illusions as to how tough an assignment it will be travelling to Gosford to take on the in-form Rays.
“They’ve had the fewest injuries in the competition and their team has remained more or less unchanged over the past month so obviously that’s a factor in their recent success,” he said.
“They’ve got some good play-makers and have been combining well. But we are ready for the challenge.”
The match kicks-off at 3.10pm (EST) on Saturday at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford.
The winner will play the winner of the Western Sydney Rams vs Melbourne Rebels semi-final (to be played this Sunday) in the inaugural MARC grand final the following weekend.
The ET Perth Spirit played the Central Coast Rays once before, at Gosford in round four of the competition, running out winners 31-19.
The squad is:
1. Gareth Hardy
2. Tai McIsaac
3. AJ Whalley
4. Tom Hockings
5. Sitaleki Timani
6. Scott Fava
7. David Pocock
8. Richard Brown
9. Matt Henjak (c)
10. Scott Daruda
11. Nick Cummins
12. Junior Pelesasa
13. Ryan Cross
14. Ed Jenkins
15. Luke McLean
16. Luke Holmes
17. Kieran Longbottom
18. Scott Fardy
19. Will Brock
20. James Stannard
21. Haig Sare
22. Jackson Mullane
Have a look at the Sprit Squad for the semis
Licking my lips...
Squad released for the game against the RAYS...
look out the Rays were coming to sting !!
