Sydney Spirit vs Perth Stars

[maelkann]

Can anyone confirm the game time? Front page here says 11am WST, Rugby WA newsletter today says 1pm WST but then links to an article that says 3:30pm WST, page at http://www.rugbywa.com.au/rugbywa says 3:00pm WST.

I'm inclined to average them all and start watching at 1:06pm WST - but which is the actual right answer?

[Tazzmania]

As per the ARU website for NRC games, it is down as 1pm (EST) which makes it 11 am our time.

[The InnFORCEr]

PERTH SPIRIT MEDIA ALERT
Thursday, 3 September 2015

SPIRIT SIDE NAMED FOR CLASH WITH SYDNEY STARS

Experienced scrumhalf, Ian Prior, will captain the 23-man Perth Spirit side traveling to take on the second-placed Sydney Stars at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday, 5 September. The Western Australia team will be on the hunt for their first victory of the 2015 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) hitting the road for the second time this season.

Spirit head coach Tai McIsaac continues to blood new faces in the competition, making seven changes to the run-on-XV that fell to the North Harbour Rays last round at McGillivray Oval.

The front-row will look to add to its dominant scrum performance last round with Oliver Hoskins coming back into the number three jersey.

Australian Under 20’s representative and Wests Scarborough product, Riley Winter, earns his first start of the season at lock after coming off the bench in the opening rounds and will pack down alongside Western Force lock and Boars teammate Rory Walton.

Associates’ Alex Rovira and Kalamunda’s Auega Seumanutafa come into the back-row at blindside and openside respectively with Richard Hardwick wearing the No.8 jersey after a two-try performance against the Rays.

Hale School boy, Nick Jooste 18, who impressed on debut against the Rays off the bench has been rewarded with the first start of his young Buildcorp NRC career this weekend.

The Western Force pairing of Kyle Godwin and Solomoni Junior Rasolea will partner in the centres for the first time this NRC season.

Making his debut on the wing, the Future Force Academy’s newest scholarship holder, Onehunga Havili, will be been keen to showcase his raw pace and power in his first outing. PG Hampshire Award winner, Daley Harper, will make his first start of the season on the opposite wing.

Experienced campaigner, Joe Savage (Palmyra) who captained the Spirit last year, will provide coverage off the bench for the front row along with Wests Scarborough’s Conan Houkamau, who comes in for his first Buildcorp NRC game after a great Pindan Premier Grade season.

McIsaac said the team is looking to respond after the disappointment of last week.

“I think there’s obviously a lot of little, basic skill areas we need to work on, and just tidy up a bit.”

“Our structures and systems are OK, it’s just the execution of things we’re trying to do that will turn things around. The boys are obviously disappointed from the loss last week, and I think that will give them a bit of a kick up the bum, to make sure they fix all those things they need to.”

“I think our set piece in general is going pretty well, it’s just a matter of tidying up the skills that will be really important in getting over a talented Stars outfit.”

2015 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Week Three

1. Chris Heiberg
2. Anaru Rangi
3. Oliver Hoskins
4. Riley Winter
5. Rory Walton
6. Alex Rovira
7. Auega Seumanutafa
8. Richard Hardwick
9. Ian Prior
10. Nick Jooste
11. Daley Harper
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Solomoni Rasolea
14. Onehunga Havili
15. Albert Nikoro

Reserves

16. Conan Houkamau
17. Joe Savage
18. Jermaine Ainsley
19. Adrian Hall
20. Pierre Roberts
21. Ryan Louwrens
22. Byron Hutchinson
23. Maalonga Konelio

Perth Spirit v Sydney Stars
Leichardt Oval, Sydney
Saturday, 5 September 2015
Kick-off: 5.30pm (local)/3.30pm (AWST)

The match will be stream live at: http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/nrc/nrcondemand


ENDS

[UnionThug]

Well FoxSports is showing is saying in various places 1:00PM WAST... clear as mud it seems!

[The InnFORCEr]

Kick-off: 5.30pm (local)/3.30pm (AWST)

The match will be stream live at: http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/nrc/nrcondemand

[maelkann]

Perth Spirit Twitter just told me 1:30PM AWST. I am now up to five different reported kickoff times.

[Jeansyjive]

Bench the man of the match from the game before, make sense.

[Whatsdoin]

Bench the man of the match from the game before, make sense.

Exactly, when does Ruru get a run?
What a crock of shit the force/spirit are.
Looks like resting the overdone force contracted players from travel.
THEY CAME LAST FFS!
Why isn't Hodgson playing he only played half a season?

[boof1050]

Exactly, when does Ruru get a run?
What a crock of shit the force/spirit are.
Looks like resting the overdone force contracted players from travel.
THEY CAME LAST FFS!
Why isn't Hodgson playing he only played half a season?

Some people are just NEVER happy! And Matt probably has earnt his break regardless of only playing half a season.

[andrewg]

Exactly, when does Ruru get a run?
What a crock of shit the force/spirit are.
Looks like resting the overdone force contracted players from travel.
THEY CAME LAST FFS!
Why isn't Hodgson playing he only played half a season?

We're all entitled to our opinion/s. And we're even entitled to a rant from time to time.

Maybe, just maybe, the NRC is there as a showcase for those who couldn't break into the WForce on a regular basis (for whatever reason) in the previous Super Rugby season (numerous) or are recovering from injury (van Wyk, Rasolea), or need to be tested for their leadership potential (Tessman, Prior, Cottrell etc) or for any other reason that the combined coaching panel may think worthwhile. I don't think that they have to explain themselves to us nor bag particular players who have not been up to scratch at the next level.

You only have to go down to the training track to see that the main WF squad are working their buts off on skills training - skills that were so often missing last year when under pressure.

Hodgson, at 34yo, doesn't need to prove himself to anybody at this level. Nor does he need the game time as he's always shown that he hits the ground running. He doesn't need to keep fit for a possible call to the RWC.
Far better to see Koteka and Hardwick hone their skills rather than see Hodgo get injured by some hothead who wants to 'whack a wallaby'.
He's certainly busy enough around town promoting the WF and rugby generally.

I think that it's great that so many local boys get to travel (for them it's a novelty) and the WF guys get a break for the away games with more time at home with family and to train with the WF squad.

IF The Spirit were picking, or even rotating the key WF players through the squad there'd be an equal number of screams about not giving the locals enough exposure. Hard to please everybody!

The Spirit had enough ball to win both of the initial games.
But, I like others would like to see a developing game pattern/plan which leads to wins rather than a comedy of mistakes and lack of discipline.

I'm confident that McIsaac is aware of the talent that he has, who is performing well on the training track and how to add them to the mix.
We and Ruru just need to be patient as he's up against some good talent.

[brokendown gunfighter]

frankly,the more club players that can get exposed to this level of rugby,the better

[SNOB]

frankly,the more club players that can get exposed to this level of rugby,the better

Agreed! And I bet they leave their little bickering behind!

[Cowboy]

It's a juggle between trying to build depth and trying to build winning momentum. I'm not sure what the overall strategy is at the moment, it appears to be more of the first rather than the second.

The chicken little impersonation doesn't add much to the discussion though.

[brokendown gunfighter]

half time .Spirit leading 16-13

[G_Beard]

Score update, away from computer and cannot load the link on my phone???