Marquee player alignments announced for 2015 Buildcorp NRC

[The InnFORCEr]

7/27/2015
By ARU Media Unit

The Australian Rugby Union today announced the clubs many of the Qantas Wallabies representatives will be aligned to for the 2015 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship season.

Players recognised as Qantas Wallabies for the 2015 NRC are those that were part of the 2014 Spring Tour plus Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau and David Pocock. Each NRC team was asked to nominate to the ARU the Wallabies they were seeking for their allocation.

New South Wales Waratahs duo Nick Phipps and Bernard Foley will be aligned with the Sydney Stars, while powerhouse Sean McMahon headlines Melbourne Rising’s Wallabies.

Brumbies trio Henry Speight, Christian Lealiifano and Joe Tomane will be affiliated to the UC Vikings. Meanwhile, Wallabies flanker Michael Hooper will be aligned with the North Harbour Rays with James Slipper and Saia Fainga’a the marquee names for Queensland Country.

Elsewhere, Sam Carter and Matt Toomua will represent NSW Country Eagles while James Horwill and Will Genia will be aligned with 2014 Champions Brisbane City. Tetera Faulkner and Kyle Godwin will be playing for Perth Spirit and Tatafu Polota-Nau and Rob Horne affiliated with the Greater Sydney Rams.

Rob Clarke, General Manager – Professional Rugby, said: “Everybody involved in Australian Rugby cannot wait until the second Buildcorp National Rugby Championship gets underway. The announcement of the allocation of our star Wallabies players to clubs in the NRC whets the appetite still further.

“Last year, without the NRC, Quade Cooper may well not have had the game-time to impress the Wallabies’ management ahead of the 2014 Spring Tour had it not been for his starring role playing for Brisbane City in the competition. This gives a little snapshot underlining the importance of the competition in our pathways.

“I know for a fact that each player is looking forward to being a part of their respective NRC club. Coupled with the fact we’ll have hungry club players looking to impress and Super Rugby representatives going up against each other, this season is shaping up to be one to remember.”

Announcements in relation to other contracting arrangements, including players contracted to Super Rugby provinces, will be announced by the nine competing sides in the weeks leading up to the National Rugby Championship kick-off on 20 August.

For the full 2015 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship draw, click here

2015 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Marquee Player Alignment

Brisbane City
James Horwill
Quade Cooper
Will Genia

Greater Sydney Rams
Tatafu Polota-Nau
Rob Horne
Kurtley Beale
Benn Robinson

Melbourne Rising
Sean McMahon
Luke Jones
Tom English

North Harbour Rays
Michael Hooper

NSW Country Eagles
Sam Carter
Matt Toomua

Queensland Country
James Slipper
Rob Simmons
Saia Fainga’a

Perth Spirit
Tetera Faulkner
Kyle Godwin

Sydney Stars
Nick Phipps
Bernard Foley
Israel Folau
Will Skelton

UC Vikings
Henry Speight
Christian Lealiifano
Joe Tomane

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArt...dcorp-NRC.aspx

[GIGS20]

Greater Sydney Rams, How the hell is Fat Cat considered a marquee player?

Did he tour with the Wallabies last year?

[Alison]

What about Benny Mac??

[The InnFORCEr]

What about Benny Mac??

Being from Dubbo, wasn't he a Country Eagle last year?

Also those on the ARU "flexible contract" probably not considered??

[Sheikh]

The articles says: "Players recognised as Qantas Wallabies for the 2015 NRC are those that were part of the 2014 Spring Tour plus Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau and David Pocock." The spring tour squad was 33 players (according to this: http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/wal...d-spring-tour/), but only 25 players (including Moore, TPM & Poey) are listed above.

The other 10 are: Ben A, AAC, Hanson, Higginbotham, Hodgson, Kepu, Kurandrani, Mann-Rae, McCalman & White. I can't see a common reason why these 10 weren't assigned to an NRC team as marquees (which means what?) I'd say at least half of these ten will be in the WRC squad, so they need the training/matches to stay fit.

With the exception of Higginbotham, who didn't seem to play in the NRC last year, they were all playing for various teams: Greater Sydney had Ben A & Kurandrani; NSW Country had AAC, Kepu, Mann-Rae & White; Brisbane has Hanson; Spirit has Hodgson & McCalman, so I'd assume they will all play for those teams again, unless the ARU wants to mix things up.

[GIGS20]

I'd suggest the 'mixing of things up' would be counterproductive in the NRC. As much as I don't want Force players to be loaned to Eastern States franchises, I reckon that there needs to be a good few years of hardcore 1 man 1 team action to build some crown interest in supporting them.

[shasta]

Greater Sydney Rams, How the hell is Fat Cat considered a marquee player?

Likely won't play but will probably be sighted in the marquee where the pies are sold.

[WF2006]

Greater Sydney Rams, How the hell is Fat Cat considered a marquee player?

Bit harsh on Beale?

[jargan83]

I'd suggest the 'mixing of things up' would be counterproductive in the NRC. As much as I don't want Force players to be loaned to Eastern States franchises, I reckon that there needs to be a good few years of hardcore 1 man 1 team action to build some crown interest in supporting them.

Agreed. There is no point trying to build a supporter base for teams if the players would be on a season by season merry go round.

[Ralto]

I reckon that there needs to be a good few years of hardcore 1 man 1 team action.

not that there's anything wrong with it

[GIGS20]

oops

I wonder why it took all the other sick bastards on this site so long to notice that!