Perth tup the Rams

A penalty goal after the final siren has handed the Perth Spirit a dramatic 20-19 win over the Western Sydney Rams in the round eight Mazda ARC match at Parramatta Stadium on Saturday night.
The Rams fought back from a 17-0 deficit to early in the first half to hit the lead midway through the second stanza when scrumhalf Josh Holmes crossed for his second try of the night for a 19-17 lead.
The home side looked like holding on for the win but a ruck infringement penalty directly in front of goals right on the final siren saw Spirit flyhalf Scott Daruda slot the three-points to steal the win, much to the disappointment of the vocal home crowd.
The nail-biting victory sees the Spirit secure a semi-final berth with either a second or third placing depending up the result of the Rays v Fleet match on Sunday while the bonus-point for finishing within seven points is enough for the Rams to secure the minor premiership and guarantees them a home semi-final next week.
If the Rays score a bonus-point win on Sunday over the Fleet the Spirit will finish in third but if the Rays just get home of the Fleet win, Perth will finish second and host next weekend's semi-final.
Daruda opened the scoring for the Spirit in the 5th minute with a well-struck penalty from eight in from the sideline after the Rams were pinged for a offside inside their own 22.
The Spirit dominated the opening exchanges and were rewarded with a well-worked try to Jackson Mullane in the 12th minute after a Ryan Cross put fullback Luke McLean into a gap with a lovely inside pass, he fed Mullane who went over out wide. Daruda added the extras to put the Spirit ahead 10-0.
Perth was in again just two minutes late when winger Ed Jenkins dove over in the corner after the visitors had created an overlap in the backline. Daruda threaded the conversion from the sideline for a 17-0 lead after just 14 minutes of play.
The Rams got on the scoreboard in the 22nd minute with some good play from the loose forwards. Perth's Scott Fava picked up the ball from a scrum five out from his own line but was driven back across the paint where he lost the ball and Rams flanker Hugh Perrett touched down for the easiest of tries. Ben Martin slotted the conversion to make it 17-7.
The Rams scored again just a few moments later when they drove an attacking raid to five metres out form the tryline. Holmes fooled everyone when he dummied to a stacked backline then jumped across the ruck to score under the posts. Martin converted to make it 17-14.
The Rams had a chance to score on the stroke of half-time when they were handed a penalty just outside the 22, but they lost possession when trying to go for a try and it remained a three-point ball-game at the break.
The second half developed into a spirited arm-wrestle early with both sides showing plenty of passion as they tried to gain the advantage.
The home side eventually broke the stalemate in the 62nd minute when Rams winger Fa'atonu Fili put a deft chip kick over the Spirit defence 30 out from the Perth tryline. Kurtley Beale followed through to regain possession and then changed the direction attack with an inside ball for Holmes to sprint away for his second try of the night. Martin missed the conversion to leave the Rams clinging to a two-point lead 19-17.
Holmes did well just a few minutes later when he cleaned up a loose ball behind his own tryline with three Spirit defenders bearing down on him.
Martin missed a difficult penalty attempt in the 70th minute before another chip and chase from the Rams almost resulted in another spectacular try. But the last line of the Spirit defence held on and the visitors worked their way up field to steal the last-gasp win.
Perth Spirit 20
Tries: Jackson Mullane, Ed Jenkins
Conversions: Scott Daruda 2/2
Penalties: Daruda 2/2
Western Sydney Rams 19
Tries: Josh Holmes 2, Hugh Perrett,
Conversions: Ben Martin 2/3
Penalties: Martin 0/1
Man of the match: Chris Siale (Rams)
Crowd 1612@ Parramatta Stadium

Great win.......bring on the home final.......it's all rugby!!!!!!!!!!!

can someone post the table, please? I dunno what's going on and I'd like to know.

It's on the front page, right hand side 1/3 way down.

BTW - You are rocking the ARC tipping comp :thumbsup:

it was an awesome game. and it was fun being basically the only spirit supporters there=)

but nothing can beat holmes 2nd try. the look away kick form siale i think then beal gets it pop inside. bang holmes scores.