SAVAGE TO LEAD PERTH SPIRIT AGAINST NORTH HARBOUR RAYS

[The InnFORCEr]

PERTH SPIRIT MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 18 September 2014


Palmyra prop, Joe Savage, will captain the Perth Spirit when they tackle the North Harbour Rays this Saturday, 20 September in Round Five of the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) in Sydney.

Savage has led the Palmyra Pindan Premier Grade side on numerous occasions and brings a wealth of knowledge to the front-row with Asteron Life Super Rugby experience with the Chiefs and was recognised as the Pindan Premier Grade’s most outstanding player, awarded the PG Hampshire Award in 2013.

Savage will pack down alongside Cottesloe’s Robbie Abel and Oliver Hoskins

Corey Thomas comes into the second-row in place of Rory Walton who has been sidelined with a knee injury sustained against the Rising while lock Brent Murphy has retained his position.

There has been a change to the back-row with Richard Hardwick moving to the blindside flank and fellow ‘Future Force’ scholarship holder, Kane Koteka elevated to the openside flank. Following his consistent high work rate over the past two matches, including a try against the Rising, Alex Rovira will again pull on the No. 8 jersey.

The Associates combination of Justin Turner and Zack Holmes will again compete at scrumhalf and flyhalf respectively.

The speed and power of Palmyra’s Va’a Mailei has provided the side with considerable impact off the bench and this week he will start on the wing alongside Brad Lacey from Wests Scarborough. Lacey scored a thrilling try last week and both wingers are primed for a fast-paced match against the Rays.

The centres pairing of Luke Burton and Ammon Matuauto remains unchanged this week with Dillyn Leyds lining up at fullback again.

The bench will see some new faces this week with Kaisa Reidy (Cottesloe), Scott Stevens (Nedlands) and Oscar Backhouse (UWA) all set to make their Perth Spirit debut.

UWA and Future Force hooker, Harry Scoble and Cottesloe prop, Alec Hepburn, will cover the front row along with Higgins. Stevens, Backhouse and Cottesloe's Ross Haylett-Petty will make their impact in the second and back rows from the bench. Scrumhalf Michael Ruru, and inside back, Davis Tavita from Nedlands, will also come on from the bench.

Perth Spirit coach, Kevin Foote, said the team’s work-rate and morale had been high all week and had no doubt their effort would be continued on Saturday under Savage’s leadership.

"Joe’s a player with a lot of experience; he is a strong leader, is very respected within the group and will lead the team well on Saturday,” Foote said. “This week we will see another three players get the chance to make their mark in this competition as we continue to grow the player base and expose the Western Australian talent to another level of rugby.

“The Rays had a good win over Queensland Country on the Gold Coast last weekend and they’re a team we have a lot of respect for.

“Our guys put in a strong effort against a very dangerous Rising side last week, and it’s important that we have a sustained performance, are continuing to work for each other and continuing to play the game right through to the end this week in Sydney.”

2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Week Five
North Harbour Rays v Perth Spirit
Brookvale Oval, Sydney
Saturday, 20 September 2014
Kick-off: 5.30pm (local)/3.30pm (AWST)

1. Joe Savage (Palmyra)
2. Robbie Abel (Cottesloe)
3. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe)
4. Corey Thomas (UWA)
5. Brent Murphy (Perth Bayswater)
6. Richard Hardwick (UWA)
7. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough)
8. Alex Rovira (Associates)
9. Justin Turner (Associates)
10. Zack Holmes (Associates)
11. Va'a Mailei (Palmyra)
12. Luke Burton (UWA)
13. Ammon Matuauto (Associates)
14. Brad Lacey (Wests Scarborough)
15. Dillyn Leyds (Palmyra)

Reserves
16. Harry Scoble (UWA)
17. Alec Hepburn (Cottesloe)
18. Kaisa Reidy (Cottesloe)
19. Scott Stevens (Nedlands)
20. Ross Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)
21. Oscar Backhouse (UWA)
22. Michael Ruru (Nedlands)
23. Davis Tavita (Nedlands)

[andrewg]

Good team selection. and showcase of local talent
Great to see Turner, Holmes and Burton on together.
Looking forward to Matuato, Lacey and Leyds in the Back 3.
Hope we get to see the game recorded somewhere.

[jargan83]

If the Spirit are going with development plan (although I suspect it will be thrown out the window when they play at home on the long weekend) why select Dillyn Leyds who is going to bugger off next year?

Don't get me wrong because I'm glad to see him have a run but the question has to be asked.

[The InnFORCEr]

If the Spirit are going with development plan (although I suspect it will be thrown out the window when they play at home on the long weekend) why select Dillyn Leyds who is going to bugger off next year?

Don't get me wrong because I'm glad to see him have a run but the question has to be asked.

Because Paddy Dellit is playing for NSW Country

[GIGS20]

Brad Lacey has to have the inside running for a Force contract doesn't he? Or have I missed something in the last couple of weeks.

[Alison]

I jolly well hope he does GIGS!!

[jono]

Tahs will probably pick him up

[GIGS20]

They have Kellaway don't they? Surely they wouldn't want to water down the wing stocks with two rookies, they don't have all the Wallaby prospects yet, so would consider themselves weak on the wing.

[Ralto]

Because Paddy Dellit is playing for NSW Country

Greatful for small mercies

[The InnFORCEr]

PERTH SPIRIT MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, 19 September 2014


The Perth Spirit will line-up against the North Harbour Rays on Saturday, 20 September in Sydney as they chase their second victory in the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC).

The Cottesloe pairing of Robbie Abel and Oliver Hoskins return to the front-row and will line up alongside captain Joe Savage while Corey Thomas replaces Rory Walton who picked up a knee injury last week against the Rising.

Richard Hardwick moves to the blindside and Kane Koteka has been elevated to openside in the back row.

The only change to the Spirit backline will see Va’a Mailei move onto the wing from the bench.

The Rays have named Boyd Killingworth at openside flank for his first start of the NRC to replace Michael Wells who has been called into the Australian Sevens squad while Mitch Lewis returning to loosehead is the only other addition to the forward pack.

Matt Lucas comes into half back with Josh Holmes moving to the bench and Brian Sefanaia replaces Tom Matthews in the centres.

This match will be live streamed on YouTube from 3.30pm AWST on the Western Force channel.

North Harbour Rays v Perth Spirit
Brookvale Oval, Sydney
Saturday, 20 September, 2014
Time: 3.30pm (AWST) /5.30pm (local)
Coverage: Live Stream at www.youtube.com/WesternForceTV
Live match updates available on Twitter (@PerthSpirit) with half-time/full-time scores available on Facebook (facebook.com/PerthSpiritNRC)
Weather Forecast: Min: 10C Max: 19C Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the morning.
Official Twitter hashtag: #RAYvPER

Perth Spirit: 1. Joe Savage (Palmyra), 2. Robbie Abel (Cottesloe), 3. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe), 4. Corey Thomas (UWA), 5. Brent Murphy (Perth Bayswater), 6. Richard Hardwick (UW), 7. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough), 8. Alex Rovira (Associates), 9. Justin Turner (Associates), 10. Zack Holmes (Associates), 11. Va’a Mailei (Palmyra), 12. Luke Burton (UWA), 13. Ammon Matuauto (Associates), 14. Brad Lacey (Wests Scarborough), 15. Dillyn Leyds (Palmyra), Reserves 16. Harry Scoble (UWA), 17. Alec Hepburn (Cottesloe), 18. Kaisa Reidy (Cottesloe), 19. Scott Stevens (Nedlands), 20. Ross Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe), 21. Oscar Backhouse (UWA), 22. Michael Ruru (Nedlands), 23. Davis Tavita (Nedlands)

North Harbour Rays: 1. Mitch Lewis, 2. Luke Holmes, 3. Tobias Gukibau, 4. Ed Gower, 5. Greg Peterson, 6. Harry Bergelin, 7. Boyd Killingworth, 8. Sam Ward, 9. Matt Lucas, 10. Hamish Angus, 11. Sireli Tagicakibau, 12. Brian Sefanaia, 13. Michael Adams, 14. Cam Crawford, 15. David Feltscheer, Reserves 16. Dave Porecki, 17. Dane Maraki, 18. Nick Fraser, 19. Ryan Melrose, 20. Jack Dempsey, 21. Josh Holmes, 22. Scott Daruda, 23. Mali Hingano.

Referee: Angus Gardner

[The InnFORCEr]

PERTH SPIRIT MEDIA RELEASE
Saturday, 20 September 2014


The Perth Spirit has suffered a heartbreaking three-point loss to the North Harbour Rays in Sydney tonight, defeated 32-29 in Round Five of the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC).

It was a tightly-fought match with the lead changing on numerous times as both sides made the most of their opportunities and exploited the gaps, each crossing for four tries.

Ammon Matuauto continued his strong showing in the tournament with another dangerous performance with the ball in hand, scoring a double today while Zack Holmes was also solid, controlling the play well at flyhalf and contributing to the scoreline with his three conversions.

Captain Joe Savage was outstanding in the forwards and led the team well across the park.

Perth Spirit coach Kevin Foote said his side had performed admirably but there was still work needed in their defensive play.

“We scored some nice tries but conceded some soft tries and were caught on the wrong side of the law on occasions,” he said. “That hurt us today.

“Our guys always show a lot of coverage to come back and score tries but we put in so much hard work for those tries and then concede easily so that’s something we will work on this week.

“I thought our forwards did particularly well today at the set piece. We were really firing in the beginning and we were scrumming very well but then we lost our focus a bit and then didn’t manage the game as well as we should have but we will improve on that going forward.”

After three matches on the road, the Spirit return to play their next two fixtures at home before a much needed bye.

“We’ve got a lot of bumps and niggles and that’s off the back of our club guys who’ve put in a massive effort,” Foote said. “Those guys are working full time and training after work and with the travel we’ve had it has definitely caught up to us.

“The next few weeks at home we can bring in some fresh legs and with the bye it will do a world of good for us.”

Flanker Harry Bergelin was first over the line for the Rays when they took the lineout and mauled it over. Playmaker Hamish Angus converted and the Rays were ahead 8-0 with ten minutes gone on the clock.

A penalty to the Spirit on the Rays 22-metre line and the subsequent kick to touch set up the chance to even the score and the away side didn’t disappoint, sending the ball in-field to find Matuauto who crossed under the posts. The conversion was easy for Holmes to take the score 8-all.

The Spirit pulled ahead 16-8 when Holmes converted his own try after the backs combined with a flowing piece of play to send him over.

The lead was clawed back not long after when the Rays crossed in identical circumstances to their first try, with No. 8 Sam Ward mauling it over off the back of the lineout and Angus slotting the extras to take it to 16-all.

The Rays took the 24-16 lead after the half-time break when Ward picked it up off the back of a scum 30 metres out and darted down the sideline to cross for his second. Angus kicked the difficult conversion from the sidelines.

With 28 minutes remaining in the match, the Rays were down to 14 men after Boyd Killingworth was sent off for slowing the ball down and the Spirit capitalised. They spread it wide and the player overlap saw Matuauto dot it down in the corner to get the away side within three points.

The Perth side found themselves short when Va’a Mailei was binned but they kept their defence tight to steal the Rays lineout. With a man down, the Spirit were still able to find the space out wide when Luke Burton sent a long pass out to Dillyn Leyds on the wing who crossed for his fifth try of the tournament.

Holmes’ conversion put the Spirit ahead 29-24 with 15 minutes to go.

The Spirit worked the play back down field and looked to be over again when captain Savage went over but the scrambling Rays defence held it up.

With just under ten minutes on the clock, Ward crossed for his hat-trick in the corner and Angus maintained his flawless kicking to put them ahead 32-29.

Despite their best efforts, the Spirit were unable to gain the territory they needed and couldn’t make up the three point deficit.

The Perth Spirit play the Sydney Stars at HBF Arena Joondalup on Sunday, 28 September. Click here to buy tickets.

[Buddha Handy]

So I am guessing we might see Godwin, Wykes, Rasolea, Haylett-Petty, Morahan, etc, etc back this week?

[Sheikh]

I think it was always the intention that the Force starters play the Perth matches (for their crowd draw?), so they should get a couple of games now. Then there's the bye and the final away game in Dubbo. Not sure if the 'club' side will be playing that match (after 4 weeks off) or the 'Force' side.

[AndyS]

So I am guessing we might see Godwin, Wykes, Rasolea, Haylett-Petty, Morahan, etc, etc back this week?

Probably, although I don't think they should. The games are pretty meaningless now within the context of the competition and I doubt anyone will be pressing claims for the Wallabies on the strength of a couple of dead rubbers. They might as well keep playing the next generation and give them the best chance of someone offering them a contract.