Rams finally score their second try
61 - 12 .....6 mins to go
Rams finally score their second try
61 - 12 .....6 mins to go
Rams on a roll, score again
61 -17
1 min to go
Game over
Spirit win 61 - 17
That will put us back on top of the ladder with 10 points (equal with Drua but I think we are ahead on for and against).
Surprises me the clubs don't get involved as a fundraiser. Two or three per game, fighting it out for the dollar, bobotie v sizzle v pasta...
Really enjoyed that game and look who's bottom of the table! Suck it up ARU!!
SPIRIT RUN RIOT AGAINST RAMS
By Elliot Raiter
The Road Safety Perth Spirit have crushed the Greater Sydney Rams 61-17 in a one-sided affair at McGillivray Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The home side was far too strong for the young Rams team; with the men in black and gold piling on four tries in the first half before a further five in the second put the result beyond doubt.
Spirit coach Kevin Foote was incredibly proud of his side’s performance, rebounding strongly after a disappointing result against the Vikings last weekend.
“The guys showed plenty of character after another tough week,” Foote said.
“We played some fantastic rugby and when we play our game we look very strong.”
“Clay Uyen epitomises the Western Australian spirit, he tackled and tackled, we are all just so proud of him, it was a great effort.”
The visitors started the better of the two teams in the opening exchanges, as winger John Grant sliced through the left hand side to score the first points of the afternoon after 15 minutes.
From there, the Spirit took control. Jono Lance hit straight back for the home team after some powerful work from the forwards, the number 10 got on the end of a string of passes to barge over to level the scores.
Shambeckler Vui extended the lead for the men in black and gold after a quick ball under the posts from skipper Michael Ruru saw the young number three dive over from close range.
Debutant Clay Uyen continued the momentum for the Pigs, receiving a kick and chase from Lance, before taking on the Rams’ defense, offloading to Richie Arnold and ending in the hands of Wallaby Bill Meakes, for a terrific team try.
Meakes was at it again minutes later with the dominant number 12 creating a barnstorming run through the centre of the field, stepping his way past the Rams defense before his offload found Kane Koteka, sliding over for the Pigs fourth try.
The Rams kept the Spirit at bay early in the second half, with the visitors even denied the easiest of tries after a knock on in open play.
Meakes made it a double moments later, with a set play from a lineout finding the number 12, before the clinical playmaker sliced through the line to extend the lead for his side.
Koteka earned a double of his own in the period of dominance by the Spirit, with Matt Philip breaking the line, as Arnold handed off another terrific offload to find the number seven on right hand side.
Sama Malolo opened his account for the Pigs midway through the half, with a clever pick and go catching the Rams off guard to blast over the line and push the lead past six tries.
The dominant forward pack were again too much for the Rams to contain. Metres from the line Ruru threw an inside ball to James Verity-Amm, with the speedster doing the rest deep in the left corner.
Replacement fullback Brendon Owen joined the party, with the South African scoring his first try in black and yellow, after a spirited run down the left hand side.
The Rams could only manage two consolation tries to finish off the disappointing result, with Grant scoring a double, before Mack Mason was rewarded for a strong performance with a try of his own.
The ‘Pigs’ however were too dominant over the full 80-minutes, with the home team enjoying a bonus-point 61-17 win in front of a packed Hill.
The Road Safety Perth Spirit next travel overseas to face the newly formed Fiji Drua on Saturday afternoon.
What's Stephen Hoiles bleating on about? There is no Western Force, so there are no Force players. The Perth Spirit are the highest level team that WA has, they are our "solid rugby pathway" as the ARU put it. They are all Spirit players, surely he can't blame us for fielding the strongest Spirit team possible, can he?
:D
Thought Naiyaravoro's shoulder into Ruru was spiteful, unnecessary and a wee bit dangerous after he dropped the ball.
Great game there was some great play with lots of offloading and a defence that trusted the bloke next to them. Meakes was totally destructive in both attack and defense for my MOTM. Clay bringing down the big man looked to be just fun for him in the end.
I think its time to drop a team from NSW. They dont have the depth for 3 teams and it would save some money.
Games like todays are bittersweet in a way. To see the academy guys stepping up today and playing well with the senior guys was great but to know we won't get to see the potential realised and what would have been next Super Rugby season is starting to sink in. Vui and Verity-Amm are Super Rugby ready, Havili is right there and guys like Uyen, Owen, Erasmus and Malolo all look to be on their way. Past graduate Koteka was best on ground, Isi was great so were Ruru, Philip and Arnold. No idea what Meakes has to do to get a Wallabies jersey. Our senior guys like Pek, Jono, Rona and Brache all contributed.
The bleating of Hoiles was tiring to the extreme.
Have just posted the following on the FoxSports Rugby Facebook page.
I've just watched my recording of the Perth Spirit v Rams NRC game. The commentary by Stephen Hoiles was most disappointing as he constantly raised the issue of how many Western Force players were in the Spirit's team.
Just in case Stephen doesn't know there is no longer a Western Force. This was the Super Rugby team that was axed by the ARU. One of the reasons that the Western Force was axed was its supposed poor on-field performance. If that were true then it should be irrelevant as to how many ex-Western Force players are included in the Perth Spirit team.
The NRC team is currently the WA rugby team in which the most capable Rugby Union players in WA can ply their trade. That will remain the case until a new team is established under the IPRC arrangements proposed by Andrew Forrest. Even when the IPRC is established it is likely that the Perth Spirit will continue to be enhanced by players from the IPRC, from development players (formerly the Future Force Foundation players) and the best from Perth Pindan Premier Grade.
Every time a commentator raises the name of the Western Force it is like somebody prodding an open wound as most Rugby supporters in WA believe that the team was unreasonably axed in appalling circumstances. That battle will now continue to be fought starting with the Senate Inquiry which I hope will uncover all of the shoddy dealings behind this very poor decision. A terrible way to grow rugby in Australia.
A key aspect of today's game was watching Wallaby, Taquele Naiyaravoro, get totally out-pointed by young Clay Uyen - one of young players from the local Pindan Premier Grade - over whom Naiyaravoro had a 40kg weight advantage.
Clay was supported by 9 players in the Spirit's run-on team who had not played Super Rugby prior to 2017. The Spirit's bench contained another 7 players from the Perth Pindan Premier Grade and who had yet to play Super Rugby.
I would greatly appreciate if Stephen Hoiles, and all FoxSports commentators, showed a modicum of respect and recognition of the impact of the ARU's decision on Rugby in WA and simply referred to the Perth Spirit as the Perth based team in the NRC.
Nice work Andrew. Bet you won't even get the courtesy of a reply let alone any sort of acknowledgment of your concerns.
And for future reference Mr Hoiles, Clay Uyen plays for University of Western Australia. One of the Universities not included in the "National" Uni 7s currently being played even though our womens comp provided 4 Wallaroos, 5 if you include the Wallaroos 9 who played in WA before representing Warringah and Sydney, another 5 former Wallaroos and future 7s players like Shanice Parker.