Spirit V Rising

[Tazzmania]

Exciting young team picked to take on rising

Western Force Website

[Kalahard]

Looks a bit light on at lock. Woud have thought a combo of RHP and Winter may have got the nod. Good backline matchups, hopefully the rain stays away.

[andrewg]

Like the mix and the chance to see the local lads show their stuff up front.
Will certainly help team selections as the limited season unfolds.

[volvo]

6 Round 1 Preview


The new 2016 streamlined version of the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship kicks off this weekend, and once again Green and Gold will be doing our best to cover all games. For those of you struggling to get excited about Australian Rugby at the moment, given all that’s happened this year, then I’d strongly recommend the NRC as the perfect antidote.

Let’s look at this week’s match ups as part of our NRC 2016 Round 1 preview.

PERTH SPIRIT V MELBOURNE RISING (STREAMED VIA FOXSPORTS.COM.AU)

SATURDAY 27 AUGUST AT UWA SPORTS PARK (PERTH). KICK-OFF 11:00AM (LOCAL TIME)

Rising
The Spirit host the Rising in the opening match of the 2016 NRC

Perth get to host the opening match of the 2016 NRC season with a (rivalry?) match up against the Melbourne Rising. The early start is an unknown quantity but provides local rugby fans to get out in force and cheer on their Spirit team against another expansion side off-shoot, the Melbourne Rising. Massive kudos must go to all involved in Western Australian Rugby in deciding that there would be free entry to all Spirit home games. Hopefully it sees that passionate Perth rugby community come out in numbers and make a strong case for the retention of elite rugby on the west coast. Fill that Hill!

The Spirit have continued their NRC approach by sprinkling Super Rugby players across a team with a heap of home grown and club talent. 2015 NRC Player of the Year, Jono Lance, makes his Spirit deput as captain and will be crucial in dictating how his team’s first outing goes. Outside him he has a powerful centre combination of Ben Tapuai and Billy Meakes, with Luke Morahan on the wing. Inside (besides the powerful and pacey scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens) he’s got some raw young forwards including the powerful Onehunga Havilli (a winger last year, No 8 this) and flamed haired hooker, Harry Scoble.

As anticipated the Rising have a super rugby heavy outfit with much reliant on the the ability of the ‘syllable twins’ (Stirzaker & Debreczeni) to get the pack working and their backs running. A centre combo of big Sefa Naivalu (edging closer to Wallaby eligibility) and the exciting young Sione Tuipulotu ensures the mid-field battle will be an epic one. Up front, most of the pack have handy Super Rugby experience with the exception being Rob Leota and Harley Fox in the backrow. Fox and Leota have both come through the Australian Rugby pathways (Leota in Victoria and Fox in Queensland) and are both keenly regarded and high impact players. The pack is solid enough without the dynamic impact of the likes of Lopeti Timani, Luke Jones or Sean McMahon of years gone past.

Perth Spirit: 1. Mees Erasmus, 2. Harry Scoble, 3. Jermaine Ainsley, 4. Kieran Stringer, 5. Grayson Knapp, 6. Brynard Stander, 7. Richard Hardwick, 8. Onehunga Havilli, 9. Ryan Louwrens, 10. Jono Lance, 11. Eric Vasukicakau, 12. Ben Tapuai, 13. Billy Meakes, 14. Luke Morahan, 15. Manihera Eden

Replacements: 16. Tom Sheminant 17. Laione Mulikihaamea 18. Shambeckler Vui 19. Kane Koteka 20. Hadleigh May 21. Michael Ruru 22. Aj Alatimu 23. Ammon Matuauto

Melbourne Rising: 1. Cruze Ah Nau, 2. Pat Leafa, 3. Tim Metcher, 4. Sam Jeffries, 5. Steve Cummins, 6. Rob Leota, 7. Jordy Reid, 8. Harley Fox, 9. Nic Stirzaker, 10. Jack Debreczeni, 11. Tom English, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 13. Sefa Naivalu, 14. Ah-Mu Tuimalealiifano, 15. Jonah Placid

Replacements: 16. Jordan Uelese, 17. Tom Moloney, 18. Tyrel Lomax, 19. Alex Toolis, 20. Ikapote Tupai, 21. Ben Meehan, 22. Lloyd Johansson, 23. Taiso Silafai-Leaana

Referee: Graham Cooper

Assistant referees: Alexander Ninkov, Sam Jones
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/nrc...und-1-preview/

I think they get it spot on here. Lets all try and get to the spirit game, especially because it is free and show how passionate we are about Rugby here in WA.

[Alison]

I'm really stoked that Billy Meakes is playing - will give us a chance to see how speedy he is :-))

[AndyS]

It probably is clever that it is now free, but I'm not sure the cost was their problem. What they need is visibility, so perhaps the smarter move would have been to send every Force member two free "tickets". Reminds them that it is on, and would feel like getting something for nothing...

[andrewg]

All the photos from Wellington are showing that Luke M is still with the Wallabies.

Edit: But obviously he's come back to play for the Spirit.. Great stuff!

[chibi]

According to Sportsbet:

Perth Spirit at $3.10 to win against the Rising.

Currently at $12 to win the competition.

[travelling_gerry]

Spirit looking good and lead 6-0 after 7 mins

[travelling_gerry]

Our scrum getting smashed

[James]

Any word on score or how each team is playing?

[jargan83]

Melbourne lead 8-6 at half time.

[eleypinkbit]

Pretty sure I can hear Jargan laughing on the broadcast!

[andrewg]

Any word on score or how each team is playing?

Rising 8:6 Spirit at half time.

Rising making lots of mistakes.
Spirit defending well but getting killed in the scrum. (4 TH against them)

Commentators only seeing the Rising on the field and at an inane level.
Can we please develop some local rugby commentators as we shouldn't have to wear this type of rubbish for a game in Perth.
Step up Cameron Shepherd!

[travelling_gerry]

Try to Morohan. Spirit lead 12-8 with a kick to come.