Really looking forward to this

Quote Originally Posted by Nick Taylor
October 25, 2014, 10:07 am
Perth Spirit will be hit by a full-frontal forward assault from an unbeaten Melbourne Rising in this afternoon's National Rugby Championship semifinal.

The Rising are laden with 14 Rebels Super Rugby players, including the entire tight five, but Spirit coach Dave Wessels is confident he has the side to combat the onslaught.

"Rising are a pretty direct side and have pretty much run over all the teams they have played up to this point." he said.

"We are well aware of what the challenge is and we've made selections to match that. Now it's down to attitude."

The Spirit will be out to reverse the 44-24 round-four loss to a very experienced Rising side.

They will field their strongest team on the road for the first time, having used mainly club players in previous away trips.

They have included 11 players with Super Rugby experience, including prop Pek Cowan, who missed selection for the Wallabies' spring tour.

Both back lines are well served with Super Rugby players but Wessels believes it will take more than just experience to win.

"What we've got is two very good sides going at each other and the physical nature of the game and the decision making are the two things that are going to be the deciding factors," he said.

The Force have signed local products Ross Haylett-Petty and Brad Lacey and South African prop Francois van Wykes to their extended squad for next season. They join hooker Robbie Abel and scrum-half Ryan Louwrens who have also re-signed.