NRC - Final Round.

[AndyS]

Great to see some good defence from the Spirit, but a bit disappointed in the last ten minutes of that game. They had the Vikings scrum on toast, and two tries would have given them a chance at a home final. But they stopped attacking and it finished within a try...

[Kalahard]

A dominant second half from Perth Spirit has locked in three of the top four places for next weekend’s Buildcorp NRC semi-finals, with their 42-36 win over the University of Canberra Vikings.

Goal-kicking was the difference on the scoresheet with both teams scoring five tries, but in reality, Spirit were always in control in the second half at Viking Park in Canberra.


http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2016/10...v-perth-report

[ranga]

we had a completely unsigned front row in the second half up against an opposition that had 2 Wallabies.

[Kalahard]

At one point we had 4 of our tight 5 were club players and had Ruru at 6, one scrum that pack put a 15 metre scrum drive on the vikings then won a tighthead penalty after a massive shove on the vikings feed.

[shasta]

Another Fox balls-up. I was busy doing some home maintenance and had I not checked the goo old TWF for a score update, I'd have missed the game completely. As it was I tuned in just as our boys scored before the break and saw the best part of the match, I suppose. So thanks for the heads up Wholetruth.

A solid display to get the lead and go on with it, Set piece was very good, especially the scrum, considering Ruru had to fill in at blindside and it never missed a beat. That scrum penalty against our blokes just showed one more ref who wouldn't know a scrum from a clusterf@ck. The more I see of Meakes the more I like him. But the more I see Maseriewa the more I like Rona at Right Wing next year. The bloke just has too many errors, gets isolated too often and has bugger all game awareness.

They made some worrying game management decisions in the last 10 mins. Put that down to inexperience. But in all a very heartening effort to cheer up a jaded Force Supporter.

[travelling_gerry]

Stander was a beast!

[fulvio sammut]

Shasta, the players won the game. Simple.

In this state the players are three grades better than the coaches, and five grades better than the referees.

I have no doubt that any success the Spirit has had this season is due to the player's ability alone, and has had SFA to do with the coaching, game plans or any other bullshit people with skin in the game seek to attribute it to.

[brokendown gunfighter]

the players almost lost it then,Fulvio--all that good work almost came undone in the last few minutes with kicking it away instead of winding down the clock.
No doubt during the next players meeting that will be discussed!

[volvo]

Forwards push Perth Spirit into national semi-finals

Nick Taylor - The West Australian on October 8, 2016, 3:34 pm

Perth Spirit are into next weekend's National Rugby Championship semi-finals after a huge second half display by their forward pack set up a 42-36 win over the Vikings in Canberra this afternoon.

They are now expecting to play Sydney Rays at Pittwater Rugby Park next Sunday but that will not be confirmed until the final matches are played tomorrow.

The Vikings had brought in plenty of big guns for the clash and the Spirit forwards were essentially up against a Super Rugby pack.

But from the 30 minute mark they were dominant, setting up four of their five tries from the scrum.

Goal kicking may have been the point of difference on the scoreboard but the Spirit forwards and a rock solid defensive line put them in control of the second half.

The Vikings needed a win to guarantee a place in the knock-out stages and were 22-16 ahead at the break but eight minutes into the second period the Spirit went ahead and never relinquished the lead.

Coach Dwayne Nestor was forced to make changes as injuries mounted and his depth was so stretched he had to play scrum -half Michael Ruru in the back row.

He withdrew fly-half Jono Lance, one of the competition's stand out players whose composure and kicking kept his side in the game in the early stages, as a precaution when he felt his hamstring tightening.

Nestor has been concerned that in past games his side had let opposition create pressure on them and for a while his concerns were justified.

"We're not happy with the game," Nestor said.

"We're pretty disappointed how we executed. We showed plenty of character but we allowed them to put us under pressure.

"You cant keep doing that week-in-week out as it will come back to hurt you.

"You don't want to be relying on that as a point of difference.

"The set piece was outstanding though. We were up against a Super Rugby forward pack and we smashed them.

"It shows if you have that platform you can attack."

The Vikings piled on early pressure as Spirit gave away a number of penalties and were under a threat of a yellow card.

Vikings opened the scoring when Lausii Taliauli took a long pass to score in the left hand corner. Isaac Thompson converted.

Winger Eli Sinoti added a second in the opposite corner five minutes later after the Spirit defence was stood up and outnumbered. Thompson converted

Man-of-the-match, No.8 Brynard Stander, pulled a try back for Spirit midway through the first period when he picked and ran untouched from the base of a scrum in the first real foray into the home side's half. Lance converted

Spirit slipped back when they fell for a quick line-out move close to their line and hooker Josh Mann-Rea went over but closed the gap when the ball was worked to Eric Vasukicakau who touched down in the corner. Ian Prior converted.

After the break the Spirit pack turned up the pressure and scrum-half Ryan Louwrens jogged over for a simple score. Prior converted to put his side ahead for the first time.

Stander added his second try on 55 minutes with Prior converting to extend his side's lead to 10 points but Mann-Rea grabbed his second, again from a set piece play.

Centre Bill Meakes received reward for his efforts with the Spirit's final try a try converted by and while Isaac Thompson added a late try for the home side Alatimu ​added the final points with a penalty on the siren.

PERTH SPIRIT 42 (B Stander 2, E Vasukicakau, R Louwrens, B Meakes tries. I Prior 3, A Alatimu 2, J Lance goals)UC VIKINGS 36 (J Mann-Rea 2, L Taliauli, E Sinoti, I Thompson tries. I Thompson 3 goals).

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa...l-semis/#page1

[Sheikh]

Ruru packed down at 6? Must have grown up watching Sheehan

[choice]

Enjoyed watching the game live on Foxtel, hated the commentary had to turn the sound down real low. Interesting dynamics in the game, not a huge fan of stats in the main they are for coaches who need to justify selections or sack players.
Thought the spirit was more dynamic when Prior went to 10, I don't think Lance is going to be our saviour he is a bit predictable for me.
Forward pack was great. WM, Ainsley went pretty good for a 20 year old. Still need another big mobile lock. Stringer doesn't have the bulk to throw himself into contact.
Who is the vertically challenged waterboy with the beard, if he was passing on messages I don't think anyone was taking any notice of him.

[Kalahard]

Who is the vertically challenged waterboy with the beard, if he was passing on messages I don't think anyone was taking any notice of him.

Thats the Dean Mumm of Perth rugby. Doesn't really do fuck all, offers little to the role, gets a lot of credit for no reason and is blocking better talent coming through. 😂😂

[travelling_gerry]

[Petalz]

So. Things the spirit learnt from last year - when you win more games than you lose, you earn yourself a guaranteed finals spot!

[travelling_gerry]

As opposed to year 1