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NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND EIGHT REVIEW

22/10/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24555735
 
 

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND EIGHT REVIEW

OCTOBER 22, 2017
Images are available here. Please credit the photographer.
 
Queensland Country will return to Australia with the Horan-Little Shield after becoming the first side to beat the Fijian Drua on home soil 24-17. The four-tries-to-three-win means Country jump to top spot on the NRC table.
 
Later, the Greater Sydney Rams who have been winless since Round Two made a major comeback after being 19-0 down in the first half to then winning 31-19 against Brisbane City.

In the twilight match the Sydney Rays made it a third upset for the day beating Perth Spirit 44-31. It was the first time since 2015 that the Spirit lost a game at their McGillivray Oval home ground.

This afternoon the Eagles’ seven-tries-to-three bonus point win over Melbourne Rising sees them fly over Brisbane City and Perth Spirit on the ladder.
 
2017 Standings after Round Eight
Bond University Queensland Country 28
Canberra Vikings 25
Fiji Airways Drua 21
Elders NSW Country Eagles 18
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 18
Road Safety Perth Spirit 16
Greater Sydney Rams 13
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 9
Melbourne Rising 4
 
Saturday 21 October
Fiji Airways Drua v Bond University Queensland Country
Fiji Airways Drua 17 (Tries: Stewart, Waqatabu, Lomani; Cons: Waqatabu; Yellow cards: Ucutabua (24’), Waqatabu (30’), Ducivaki (55’))
Bond University Queensland Country 24 (Tries; Timu 2, Tela, Nabuli; Cons: Tuttle 2; Yellow cards: Fa’agase (39’))
 
Saturday 21 October
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City v Greater Sydney Rams
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 19 (Tries: Riley, Fidow, Kuridrani; Cons: Cooper , Strachan)
Greater Sydney Rams 31 (Tries: Holloway 2, Hall, Tuisue; Cons: Mason 4; Pens: Mason)
 
Saturday 21 October
Road Safety Perth Spirit v Macquarie University Sydney Rays
Road Safety Perth Spirit 31 (Tries: Verity-Amm 2, Koteka, Uyen, Arnold; Cons: Grant 3; Yellow Cards; M. Philip (29’))
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 44 (Tries: Nucifora 2, Buaserau 2, Connor, Simone; Cons: Hegarty 2 H. Nucifora, R. Saifoloi; Pens: Hegarty 2)
 
Sunday 22 October
Melbourne Rising v Elders NSW Country Eagles
Melbourne Rising 19 (Tries: J. Maddocks, H. Hutchison, K. Ratu; Cons: J. McGregor 2)
Elders NSW Country Eagles 47 (Tries: A. Gibbon 3, B. Paenga-Amosa, S. Wileman, J. Gordon, A. Freier
Cons: T. Adams 6)

 
 
NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX REVIEW

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX REVIEW

08/10/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24409212
 
 

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX REVIEW

OCTOBER 8, 2017
For the first time ever, the Horan-Little Shield is en route to the Pacific Islands after the Fijian Drua claimed the NRC challenge trophy with a comprehensive 57-31 victory over the Greater Sydney Rams in front of a passionate crowd at TG Millner Oval. The Drua’s eight-tries-to-five bonus point win keeps their spot at the top of the ladder.
 
Over on the Gold Coast, Queensland Country were set for a huge win over the NSW Country Eagles leading 31-0 into the second half. But then, in a stunning about-face the Eagles piled on the points late as they chased the most unlikely of victories. It wasn't to be though, with Queensland Country holding on for a dramatic 34-31 win.
 
This afternoon the Canberra Vikings continued their charge towards the finals series, with a dominant 36-12 win over Melbourne Rising at Frankston Park in Victoria. The six-tries-to-two bonus point win keeps Canberra level on points with the Fijian Drua atop of the NRC ladder.
 
Later today two-time NRC Champions Brisbane City proved they can never be counted out of the mix after another convincing win over the Sydney Rays at Pittwater Park in Sydney. City jagged a bonus point in the eight-tries-to-four 46-29 victory and now sit just two points out of the NRC top four.
 
2017 Standings after Round Six 
Canberra Vikings 20
Fiji Airways Drua 20
Bond University Queensland Country 19
Road Safety Perth Spirit 15
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 13
Greater Sydney Rams 9
Elders NSW Country Eagles 9
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 5
Melbourne Rising 4
 
Saturday 7 September 
Fiji Airways Drua v Greater Sydney Rams
Fiji Airways Drua 57 (Tries: Daveta 2, Veitayaki Jnr, Stewart, Waqatabu, Sau, Lomani, Taliga; Cons: Waqatabu 7; Pens: Waqatabu)
Greater Sydney Rams 31 (Tries: Roach, Bailey, Cotton, Dunbar, Pili-Gaitau; Cons: Ayoub 3)

Saturday 7 September
Bond University Queensland Country v Elders NSW Country Eagles
Bond University Queensland Country 34 (Tries: P. James, A. Scott-Young, F, Daugunu, E. Nabuli, I. Perese; Cons: J. Tuttle 3/5; Pens: J. Tuttle 1/1; Cards: C. Timu (80’))
Elders NSW Country Eagles 31 (Tries: A. Kellaway 2, C. McInerney, M. Jones, J. Gordon; Cons: T. Adams 3/5)

Sunday 8 September
Melbourne Rising v Canberra Vikings
Melbourne Rising 12 (Tries: J. McGregor, A. Leaupepe; Cons: J. McGregor 1/1, J. Maddocks 0/1; Cards: L. Timani (51))
Canberra Vikings 36 (Tries: R. Valetini 2, J. Dargaville, T. Banks, F. Fainga’a, P. Rolando; Cons: W. Hawera 3/6)

Sunday 8 September
Macquarie University Sydney Rays v McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 29 (Tries: J. Turner, T. Connor, R. Buaserau, D. Fitzpatrick; Cons: I. Simone 1/1, R. Saifoloi 2/3;Pens: R. Saifoloi 1/1)
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 46 (Tries: A. Ready 2, M. Konelio, D. Riley, E. Fidow, D. Gorman, M. Ngauamo, M. Gunn; Cons: Q. Cooper 3/8; Cards: K. Douglas (65’))

 
 
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NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX PREVIEW

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX PREVIEW

06/10/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24384033
 
 

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX PREVIEW

OCTOBER 6, 2017
As we head into week six of the competition, it couldn’t get much tighter with four teams now battling it out for top spot on the NRC ladder and the others following close behind.
 
This weekend is the Pasifika Round which celebrates the great influence of the Pacific Island nations on Australian Rugby.
 
On Saturday TG Millner Oval will host a full day of fun and festivities. In the morning spectators can watch future NRC stars, the Australian Schoolboys take on NZ Schoolboys. Straight after the Greater Sydney Rams will take on the Fijian Drua in front of what is expected to be a healthy crowd.
 
Following this match Queensland Country will battle it out with NSW Country at Bond University. The Queensland boys haven’t lost to the Eagles since season one of the NRC and are feeling confident with Wallabies tourist Izaia Perese joining their side.
 
On Sunday two Wallabies will go head to head with Lopeti Timani joining the Melbourne Rising squad and Rory Arnold taking Canberra Vikings’ side at Frankston Oval in Victoria.
 
In the final match of the round, the Sydney Rays will host Brisbane City at Pittwater Rugby Park. The Rays have been forced to shuffle their backline with Sam Lane and Angus Sinclair out.

2017 Standings after Round Five 
Bond University Queensland Country 15
Canberra Vikings 15
Road Safety Perth Spirit 15
Fiji Airways Drua 15
Greater Sydney Rams 9
Elders NSW Country Eagles 8
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 8
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 5
Melbourne Rising 4
 
Round Six Fixtures
Saturday 7 October
Greater Sydney Rams v Fiji Airways Drua
Where: TG Millner Field, Sydney
When: 3:00 PM AEST
Broadcast Information:
  • The Rams have shuffled up their squad after being hit with several injuries and losing some big stars including Taqele Naiyaravoro
  • Both teams will be led by former Eastwood coaches including John McKee for the Fiji Drua and Billy Melrose for the Rams
  • The Drua spent this week training at Kings College in Sydney and won’t be shy of support with thousands of local Fijians expected to show for the Pasifika Round
 
Saturday 7 October
Bond University Queensland Country v Elders NSW Country Eagles
Where: Bond University, Gold Coast
When: 5:00 PM AEST
Broadcast Information:
  • Wallabies player Izaia Perese will join the Queensland boys in their match day 23
  • As part of the Pasifika Round Queensland will pay tribute to the 18 players on their squad who have Polynesian heritage
  • Former Queensland Country flanker Maclean Jones will line up for NSW Country against his old side for the first time
  • Eagles player Tom Staniforth will be the man to look out for as he goes from strength to strength as a leader in the forward pack
 
Sunday 8 October
Melbourne Rising v Canberra Vikings 
Where: Frankston Oval, Victoria
When: 1:00PM AEST
Broadcast Information:
  • The teams have an even split of historic wins; the Rising won 34-13 in 2014 and the Vikings won 60-44 in 2016
  • The Rising were hit by injury in their loss to Queensland Country last weekend but have welcomed back Wallaby Lopeti Timani, lock Alex Toolis and playmaker Lloyd Johansson to the starting line-up
  • The Vikings will also welcome back Wallaby Rory Arnold and Andrew Muirhead will swap with Tom Banks to have a crack at fullback
 
Sunday 8 October
Macquarie University Sydney Rays v McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City
Where: Pittwater Park, Sydney
When: 3:00PM AEST
Broadcast Information:
 
  • The Rays have made some changes with versatile Harry Burey now heading to inside centre to cover Saifoloi’s move and Irae Simone will have his second start at outside centre
  • Josh Turner will return to fullback after playing on the wing in Goulburn and Rob Buaserau will be in line for a start after Latu Latunipulu strained his hamstring again
  • The Brisbane boys will be fighting hard to make it into the top four after losing to Perth Spirit last weekend

 
 
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PCS Greater Sydney RAMS Newsletter October 5 2017

PCS Greater Sydney RAMS Newsletter October 5 2017

05/10/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24376699
 

 
 
 
 

Preview
PCS Greater Sydney RAMS v Fiji Drua 
TG Millner October 7 2017

 

With five rounds now completed all teams have had a mix of dominant wins and games they would rather forget. With seven sides still in the hunt for a finals berth the need to get consecutive wins will be paramount for sides chances. The Rams, one of six sides with two losses, and with the bye behind them are in a good position to gab a finals spot provided they can return to the winning circle after two disappointing losses away from home.The Rams have three of their final four matches at home and as we have seen so far this season the home side has the advantage. Round 5 proved it once again with all four games going their way. In fact home teams have won 17of the 20 games so far decided. The Rams are one of only three sides to have won away from home.

With the bye now behind them the Rams are in a strong position with three home games remaining all against sides above them and yet to have the bye. The Rams push for the finals starts this week against the Fijian Drua who have also won away from home when they beat Melbourne Rising 45 – 24 in round 2. They have had two good wins at home against the Eagles 31 – 14 and Spirit 41 – 5. With the Spirit match it needs to be remembered Perth sent their second string side to Fiji as is their practice in playing away games. Their two losses were against Brisbane 36 – 45 in round 1 and Canberra 5 – 66 last week. With the Drua having the bye next week a win here by the Rams will put them within two points of the Drua not taking into account bonus points and with no points next week the Rams, with a win over Queensland Country, would move ahead of the Drua on the ladder. This game is critical to both sides.

With three straight wins and sitting at the top of the ladder Fiji Drua were looking the goods before Canberra Vikings brought them back to earth last week. The lessons learnt from the Viking game will be well learnt and the Rams will be aiming up to make it two losses in a row for the visitors. While the Drua have put on some entertaining rugby their discipline has left a little to be desired in both of their losses. Eroni Vasiteri and Apisalome Waqatabu have been sited to front the NRC judiciary today over the possible eye gouge on Vikings hooker Folau Faingaa. The outcome of this hearing will have an impact on the team selections for this match.

The bye came at a convenient time for the Rams with a mounting injury toll. The loss against the Rising saw Dion Spice, John Grant and Hugh Roach coming from the field while Mack Mason battled on with a rib injury. This week we see Adrian Hall return after injuring his foot in the first match. Hugh Roach is right to go, John Grant is named on the wing and Dion Spice injury was not as bad as first thought and he has been named on the bench. Mack Mason remains on the disabled list.

The Rams have been disappointed in their last two outings and know they have to start well against the Drua this Saturday. They won the second half against the Rising down in Melbourne and will take confidence from that performance when they almost pulled off a great comeback win. Defence will again be key and controlling the Drua counter attack will be paramount as they have shown how dangerous they can be from broken play. The scum held against a much heavier Rising side last match and will again be looking to dominate and set the platform. The Rams go into this important clash with a number of players unavailable. Captain Jed Holloway has a wedding,Taqele Naiyaraoro has a funeral, Kotoni Ale has work commitments, Mack Mason injured ribs and John Grant doubtful with a calf injury. “Though the squad is down on troops, we've come back off a bye and a few days off refreshed and ready for the Drua.” said John Manenti. “There are a few guys looking to impress and happy to be back at TG after a few weeks on the road.” he added.

The front row remains the same while some reshuffling of the pack sees Adrian Hall partner Sam Thomson in the second row with Fergus Lee-Warner moving to the side of the scrum and Albert Tuisue moving to number eight. Tevita Piukala comes in on the bench. Waldo Wessels, after impressing when he came on in the second half in Melbourne, becomes our fourth starting half. Stu Dunbar shows his versatility and has been named in the wing replacing Taqele whose bulldozing runs will be missed. Ben Cotton and Kodi Drury-Hawkins return to the bench with one of them looking at a start if John Grant is ruled out.

 

Its going to be tough for sure but you can't plan these things.” Said Jed Holloway on players unavailable this week. “The Fijians will be fired up coming off a disappointing loss last week. You can't have a set game plan against a side like Fiji because they are always doing something different. You just have to play your game against them. I'm looking forward to see Albert Tuisue up against them. He always lifts against his countrymen and will have played with and against some of them back in Fiji. I also expect a big game from Waldo Wessels who slotted in well in the second half against the Rising. Another one to watch will be Fergus Lee-Warner. Fergus loves the rough stuff and has played at flanker with Eastern Suburbs.

This is the game the Rams need to step up and dominate from the kick off. The win here will see them in good stead for a finals birth. A loss will see them slip further behind the top four and put their 2017 campaign in jeopardy. It is time to stamp their authority on this competition.
Pos Team P W D L PF PA -/+ BP Pts
1 Queensland Country Queensland Country 4 3 0 1 175 96 79 3 15
2 Canberra Vikings Canberra Vikings 5 3 0 2 211 138 73 3 15
3 Perth Spirit Perth Spirit 5 3 0 2 199 152 47 3 15
4 Fijian Drua Fijian Drua 5 3 0 2 158 154 4 3 15
5 Greater Sydney Rams Greater Sydney Rams 4 2 0 2 133 151 -18 1 9
6 NSW Country Eagles NSW Country Eagles 4 2 0 2 88 116 -28 0 8
7 Brisbane City Brisbane City 4 2 0 2 127 169 -42 0 8
8 Sydney Rays Sydney Rays 4 1 0 3 115 145 -30 1 5
9 Melbourne Rising Melbourne Rising 5 1 0 4 138 223 -85 0 4
 

Get to Know Your Rams
West Harbour Players

Playing for the Rams are Taqele Naiyaravoro, Albert Tuisue, Andrew Tuala, Ben Cotton, Josh Redfern, Kodie Drury-Hawkins, Kelly Meafua, and late called up Dion Spice.

We have come to enjoy the tackle busting runs of Taqele Naiyaravoro for both the Waratahs and the Rams and ex-Fijian Policeman Albert Tuisue having came to the Rams last year, as one of five Fijian players, decided to stay on and play for both the Pirates and the Rams in 2017. While Taqele and Albert has played in every game for the Rams this season here is some information on other Pirates who are a little less well known.

Andrew Tuala has been on the bench for all four games. Andrew lives in Newcastle and travels down each week for training and game days. Andrew played for the Wanderers club in Newcastle coming through their rugby academy program and in 2015 was selected in the NSW Country Cockatoos side that beat their Queensland cousins 20 – 15 in the Battle of the Borders Cup. Andrew decided in 2016 to advance his rugby career by coming down to Sydney and played with Randwick. In 2017 he made the switch to West Harbour and is keen to advance to a Super Rugby contract.

Ben Cotton is a young exciting centres who moved to West Harbour this season after playing his junior football with Eastwood. Ben went to Oakhill College and played his junior rugby with the Dural Rugby Club, playing most of the time at full back. After two years of injury through a knee reconstruction and a broken leg Ben felt is was time for a change and a fresh start. He made the move to West Harbour where Todd Louden turned him into a centre. Ben got his starting debut against the Spirit up against two Wallaby squad centres.

Irishman Josh Redfern has come onto the bench in the Rams last two matches. In England Josh played for the Macclesfield RUFC, Rotherham Titans and Sheffield Tigers before moving to Australia to advance his rugby career. In 2014 Josh played for England U20 Counties against Georgia.

Dion Spice from Waikato came across from New Zealand mid way through the 2017 season to play for West Harbour. He played for the Te Awamuta Sports Rugby Club and was part of the Mitre 10 Cup squad last year.

Kodie Drury-Hawkins is another young player getting exposure to play at the next level. He got on the paddock against the Perth Spirit in his NRC debut. Kodie switched from playing rugby league at 18 and can play anywhere in the backline, playing mainly full back this year for the Pirates. Kodie has played for NSW in 7's and last year represented NSW Maori against NSW Tonga. He also played for the Australia Iconz in Kenya in 2015. Kodie moved from Randwick to West Harbour in 2016 after playing in Randwick's 2015 2nd Grade Grand Final side. He and Ben Cotton were joint top try scorers for the Pirates in first grade this year.

One player we are yet to see is Kelly Meafua who is working hard to be fit and right to go for the next match. Kelly started his rugby career in New Zealand playing for Otahuhu Rugby Club in Auckland. He played Auckland U/21 in 2010 and Auckland 7s. Being of Samoan heritage he was selected in the Samoan 7s side. This move makes him ineligible to play for New Zealand or Australia and so Kelly's aim is to get a Super Rugby contract. Kelly moved to Sydney in 2014 with his wife and three children to give himself a chance to advance his rugby career. Arriving during the Shute Shield season he went up to Newcastle and spent the rest of the 2014 season playing for the Waratahs club in the Newcastle rugby competition. He moved to West Harbour in 2015 where he won the Shute Shield Rookie of the Year and got selected to play for the Rams. His form didn't go unnoticed and he was given a contact to play with Narboune in France where he played for two seasons. Kelly returned to Sydney and West Harbour this year. “The time in France was a great experience for me and I really enjoyed my time there. But I wanted to come back to Australia to be close to family and to get a Super Rugby contract.” Kelly explained. Kelly took over as game day captain part way through the season when club captain Wayne Ngungutau suffered a season ending injury. While Kelly's immediate focus is getting on the paddock for the Rams and push his claim for a Super Rugby contract he is, like all the other Pirates, looking forward to 2018 with West Harbour. “When I returned to the Pirates this year things were different. New coaches, new players and new attitude. It took us a while to get used to playing together and understand the structures Todd was introducing.” Kelly said. “We turned the ship around this year and next year we plan to steer it to a premiership.

Paul Treanor

 

Festival of rugby ahead as Australia and New Zealand impress ahead of their international decider


AUSTRALIA and New Zealand warmed up for their title decider this Saturday with convincing victories in their opening Schoolboy Tri-Nations rugby clashes at Knox Grammar ground on Monday.


Australia's Nick Frost

Australia, which includes talented Knox Grammar duo Nick Frost and Tom Woodcock, outclassed Fiji 29-3.

The busy afternoon caps off with the National Rugby Championships clash between PCS Greater Sydney Rams (run by Eastwood Rugby) and Fiji Airways Drua at 3pm.

 read the full story here
 

Boots (and other footy stuff)  for Fiji

 
Australians are being encouraged to donate their old footy boots, balls and playing kits to give hundreds of children living in Fiji another reason to smile.  The NRC has started a drive urging locals to drop off their pre-loved Rugby gear at various matches across the country over the next two weekends.  The goods will then be given to The Fiji Project who will visit hundreds of locals across Fiji who are in desperate need of new sporting equipment and clothing.

Co- founder of The Fiji Project Katrina Oxenham said ‘’Most Fijian children play Rugby barefoot and have never owned a pair of boots or any other rugby kit, but their simple love for Rugby is second to none so this will mean the world to them. 

Greater Sydney Rams player Albert Tuisue said ‘’There’s a lot of us boys from the Islands playing in the NRC and it’s great we get to recognise that, as we’re very proud of where we come from.’’ 

The PCS Greater Sydney RAMS will have a collection box located at the RAMS V Drua on October 7 at TG Millner.. so grab your surplus gear and bring it along
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NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE REVIEW

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE REVIEW

02/10/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24346590
 
 

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE REVIEW

OCTOBER 2, 2017


The tables have turned following Round Five of the National Rugby Championship with Queensland Country, Canberra Vikings, Perth Spirit and Fiji Drua now all sitting at the top of the ladder.  
 
Canberra made a massive comeback on Friday night at Viking Park after thrashing Fiji Drua 65-5 which was without a doubt their best performance of the season. The home-side took a well-deserved 21-5 lead into the halftime break but the highlight came when man-of-the-match Tom Cusack scored his hat-trick in the final minutes.
 
On Saturday Queensland Country scored more than a half-century for the second week in a row, this time thumping Melbourne Rising 54-12 at Bond University. The eight tries and bonus point win means Country overtake Canberra on the NRC ladder. 
 
On Sunday the ladder became even closer, following Perth Spirit’s comprehensive 62-28 win over Brisbane City at the University of WA.  The ten-tries-to-four bonus point win means Perth jump back up to third spot.
 
This afternoon locals in sunny Goulburn were treated to some enterprising raids from the Sydney Rays in the dying stages but it was the NSW Country Eagles who held solid and came away with their second victory of the season winning 26-17.
 
2017 Standings after Round Five 
Bond University Queensland Country 15
Canberra Vikings 15
Road Safety Perth Spirit 15
Fiji Airways Drua 15
Greater Sydney Rams 9
Elders NSW Country Eagles 8
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 8
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 5
Melbourne Rising 4
 
Friday 29 September 
Canberra Vikings v Fiji Airways Drua
Canberra Vikings 66 (Tries: Cusack 3, Fa’alelei 2, Banks 2, Muirhead, Abel; Cons: Hawera 5, Lonergan, Rolando)
Fiji Airways Drua 5 (Tries: Lomani)
 
Saturday 30 September 
Bond University Queensland Country v Melbourne Rising
Bond University Queensland Country 54 (Tries: Daugunu 3, Feauai-Sautia, Tupou, Stewart, Paia’aua, Tela; Cons: Tuttle 4, Stewart, Daugunu 2; Cards: Daugunu (40+’), Nabuli (40+’)
Melbourne Rising 12 (Tries: Mapusua, Havea; Cons: McGregor)

Sunday 1 October
Road Safety Perth Spirit v McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City
Road Safety Perth Spirit 62 (Tries: M. Ruru 2, C. Peni 2, J. Verity-Amm, R. Arnold, A. Rangi, M. O’Brien, M. Erasmus, T. Ferris; Cons: P. Grant 5/8, H. Buick 1/1, S. Tarawa 0/1)
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 28 (Tries: L. Maranta 2, S. Manu, E. Fidow; Cons: Q. Cooper 4/4; Cards: E. Fidow (60’))
 
Monday 2 October
Elders NSW Country Eagles v Macquarie University Sydney Rays
Elders NSW Country Eagles 26 (Tries: A. Gibbon, S. Ward, J. Gordon, A. Newsome; Cons: T. Adams 2/4; Penalties: T. Adams 0/1.
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 17 (Tries: J. Turner, L. Latunipulu, A. Sinclair; Cons: Saifoloi 1/3)
 

 
 
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NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE PREVIEW

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE PREVIEW

29/09/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24308615
 
 

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE PREVIEW

SEPTEMBER 29, 2017
With daylight savings coming into action for half the country this Sunday, it’s the perfect excuse to pack out your long weekend watching all four games in Round 5 of the National Rugby Championship.
 
Tonight Canberra will battle it out on home turf against ladder leaders Fiji Drua. Vikings’ Young gun Mack Hansen will make his NRC season debut after signing with the Brumbies for next season.
 
Tomorrow the Gold Coast will host a celebration of Rugby to a crowd of thousands. Queensland Country will take on Melbourne Rising plus it’s the fourth and final leg of the AON Uni 7s Series, the National U16s finals and the Junior Gold Cup competition.
 
On Sunday the two men to look out for will be Jono Lance playing for Perth and Quade Cooper for Brisbane who will go head to head at McGillivray Oval.
 
The final match for the round on Monday will see the Eagles take on the Rays in regional New South Wales. The Eagles have an unblemished record against the Rays and are no doubt keen to keep this intact.
 
Round Five Fixtures:

Friday 29 September 
Canberra Vikings v Fiji Airways Drua
Where: Viking Park, Canberra
When: 7:30 PM AEST
Broadcast Information:
  • Brumbies rookie Faalelei Sione and young gun Mack Hansen will make their 2017 NRC season debut for the Vikings
  • Flying Fijians Head Coach John McKee will be at the match scouting talent for the end of season tour
  • The Drua have dominated in their last three games including their 41-5 win over Perth last weekend which makes them the toughest team to beat this season
 
Saturday 30 September 
Bond University Queensland Country v Melbourne Rising
Where: Bond University, Gold Coast
When: 3:00 PM AEST
Broadcast Information:
  • The Gold Coast will host a huge celebration of Rugby tomorrow. On top of the NRC match it’s the final leg of the AON Uni 7s Series, the National U16s finals and the Junior Gold Cup comp
  • Melbourne have claimed victory in the last three matches against the Queensland boys including their most recent tight match winning 39-31 in 2015
  • For the first time this season Rising Head Coach Zane Hilton has kept the same forward pack which includes backrower Rob Leota
 
Sunday 1 October
Road Safety Perth Spirit v McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City
Where: McGillivray Oval, Perth
When: 5:00 PM AEDT (2:00 PM AWST)
Broadcast Information:
  • The two men to look out for will be Jono Lance playing for Perth and Quade Cooper for Brisbane
  • For the first time this season the Brisbane boys have an unchanged backline and Salesi Manu will be making his NRC debut following an international tournament in Japan
  • Perth will pursue their hardest to remain in the top four following one of their biggest losses last weekend against the Drua
 
Monday 2 October
Elders NSW Country Eagles v Macquarie University Sydney Rays
Where: Goulburn, NSW
When: 3:00 PM AEDT
Broadcast Information:
  • The Rays welcome back Irae Simone who was named NRCD player of the year in 2016 and has now recovered from a hamstring injury
  • Tom Staniforth from the Eagles was the man of the match last week and will be one to keep an eye on
  • The Eagles have an unblemished record against the Rays and are no doubt keen to keep this intact

2017 Standings after Round Four
Fiji Airways Drua 15
Bond University Queensland Country 10
Road Safety Perth Spirit 10
Canberra Vikings 10
Greater Sydney Rams 9
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 8
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 5
Elders NSW Country Eagles 4
Melbourne Rising 4
    

 
 
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Greater Sydney Rams Newsletter 28 September 2017

Greater Sydney Rams Newsletter 28 September 2017

28/09/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24301442
 

Melbourne Rising 41 d Greater Sydney RAMS 31
Harlequin Oval, Melbourne
Sunday September 24 2017

What the coach thought

 
After a tough travel week back from Perth, the boys embraced the challenges of playing virtually another Super franchise team in the Rising. We trained really well, we had a few back from injuries and the travel and preparation were spot on. 

Well, we kicked off and in a blink, we had a man in the bin and 9 penalties to nil against us. Hard to come back from that and a half time score line of 26-0. Furthermore, Melbourne turned on its four seasons in a day to have us running into a gale. But the Rams where up for the fight and with possession came points and just as the tide had just about turned, a long delay in play took the sting out of us and let Rising settle. Super Sefa, in his only appearance of the season created something from nothing and ended our brave comeback. Adding to the pain of the loss was another significant injury toll, the bye is perfect timing!

We look forward to tackling the competition leaders - Fiji Drua - next Saturday at TG, hope everyone comes out for a great day of rugby!

John Manenti
Pos Team P W D L PF PA -/+ BP Pts
1 Fijian Drua Fijian Drua 4 3 0 1 153 88 65 3 15
2 Queensland Country Queensland Country 3 2 0 1 121 84 37 2 10
3 Perth Spirit Perth Spirit 4 2 0 2 137 124 13 2 10
4 Canberra Vikings Canberra Vikings 4 2 0 2 145 133 12 2 10
5 Greater Sydney Rams Greater Sydney Rams 4 2 0 2 133 151 -18 1 9
6 Brisbane City Brisbane City 3 2 0 1 99 107 -8 0 8
7 Sydney Rays Sydney Rays 3 1 0 2 98 119 -21 1 5
8 NSW Country Eagles NSW Country Eagles 3 1 0 2 62 99 -37 0 4
9 Melbourne Rising Melbourne Rising 4 1 0 3 126 169 -43 0 4
 

Brian Melrose and his Marlins

 

The background of the six Marlins in the Rams squad .


Taking over as head coach of the Marlins for 2017 Brian Melrose looked around at what talent he had available and decided the one thing he needed more of was Kiwis. So he went out and recruited three more – cousins Mokani and Kevin Fuavao and a young back Cameron Bailey. The Marlins had more Kiwis than Bondi and took out the minor premiership. With Brian returning to coach at the Rams this year six of his squad come along to continue their association.

Adrian Hall plays second row and was born in Rotorua NZ before moving to Hamilton where he played his age group rugby with Fraser Tech and played for Waikato U20s. He moved to Perth playing for the Cottesloe club and played in the Force A team a number of times. He played for the Perth Spirit in 2015 before moving to Sydney and linking up with Brian Melrose at Manly Marlins. In 2016 he made the Sydney Rays NRC side. Adrian captained Manly to the minor premiership in 2017 and followed his coach to the Rams. He injured his foot in the first game for the Rams and is expected to be back within the next two rounds.

Denis Pili - Gaitau plays centre and was born in Auckland NZ. Dennis began his career as a Junior at Massey Rugby Club in Auckland. He continued playing through the ranks in the Auckland region, playing for North Harbour age groups and then with North Harbour in ITM Cup in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. After 2 outstanding seasons with North Harbour, Denis got the call up to the Auckland Blues Super Rugby Development Squad and also made the NZ Sevens squad in 2014. In 2015, he moved to Sydney to play for the Manly Marlins from which he made the Rays NRC squad. In May 2015, he was selected to represent Australian Barbarians in the test against the Australian U20's before the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy. Denis again represented the Rays in 2016 before switching to the Rams this year.

Mokani "Gunzz" Fuavao the 26-year-old front-rower played first grade for Auckland University and for Counties Manuaka before making the switch to the Marlins in 2017. He has come off the bench for the Rams this year and is looking to continue to forge ahead with his rugby career.

Kevin Fuavao, 23 centre, played for Auckland U20 and U21 and for Tasman in Mitre 10 last year. Kevin had an outstanding season in his first year in the Shute Shield and was crowned the 2017 Shute Shield rookie of the year.

Cameron Bailey at 21 is another young talent included in this Rams squad. He can play anywhere in the backline but has settled into full back for the Rams. Cam excelled at several sports at school level but rugby is his passion. He worked his way through the Canterbury age-group rugby teams playing U13, U16 and lining up for the U18 development side back in 2013. in 2014 he decided to return to school and continued to play schoolboy rugby. In 2015 he was selected in U19 Canterbury side and in 2016 played for South Canterbury in the Heartland competition. He made the move to the Marlins in 2017 to experience rugby in a different environment with a gaol of making an NRC side.

Kotoni Ale plays flanker and represented Australian schools back in 2008 and played for Tonga U20 in 2010. His form with the Marlins saw him picked in the Sydney Rays squad in 2014. His rugby days seemed over when he sustained an horrendous leg injury in a club match in 2015 but his strength and determination saw him return to the field in 2016 much to the surprise of many in the game. His return was a success and resulted in him been selected in the Tongan side for their end of season tour to Spain, Italy and United States.  

Paul Treanor

Roachy's on Fire!

 
Our hooker Hugh Roach is having a huge season and its not going unnoticed

Not only is Hugh a regular winner of the RAMS supporters Man of the Match he's also getting picked in the NRC team of the week.. the Roar's NRC standouts     and now rugby.com.au has jumped on Board with a great interview: have a read at rugby.com.au
 

Boots (and other footy stuff)  for Fiji

 
Australians are being encouraged to donate their old footy boots, balls and playing kits to give hundreds of children living in Fiji another reason to smile.  The NRC has started a drive urging locals to drop off their pre-loved Rugby gear at various matches across the country over the next two weekends.  The goods will then be given to The Fiji Project who will visit hundreds of locals across Fiji who are in desperate need of new sporting equipment and clothing.

Co- founder of The Fiji Project Katrina Oxenham said ''Most Fijian children play Rugby barefoot and have never owned a pair of boots or any other rugby kit, but their simple love for Rugby is second to none so this will mean the world to them. 

Greater Sydney Rams player Albert Tuisue said ''There's a lot of us boys from the Islands playing in the NRC and it's great we get to recognise that, as we're very proud of where we come from.'' 

The PCS Greater Sydney RAMS will have a collection box located at the RAMS V Drua on October 7 at TG Millner.. so grab your surplus gear and bring it along
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NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR REVIEW

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR REVIEW

26/09/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24277215
 
 

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR REVIEW

SEPTEMBER 24, 2017
Note to editors: Images are available here. Please credit the photographer.
 
Elders NSW Country Eagles claimed their first dramatic win for the 2017 NRC season after scoring the match winning try after the siren. The losing bonus point was cold comfort for the Vikings after leading by nine points inside the last ten minutes and then falling 25-24 at Bellevue Oval in Armidale.
 
The Fiji Airways Drua are officially the team to beat in 2017 following their comprehensive 41-5 win over defending title-holders Road Safety Perth Spirit in front of a huge home crowd in Suva. The home side were outstanding in defence and didn’t let Perth into the game until the 70th minute.
 
This afternoon Bond University Queensland Country’s dominant scrum were the catalyst for their 50-24 win over the Macquarie University Sydney Rays at Pittwater Rugby Park. Country skipper Duncan Paia’aua scored three of the eight tries on Sydney’s northern beaches which catapults the Queenslanders into the National Rugby Championships’ top four.

In the second Sunday match Melbourne Rising took a 26-0 lead into halftime and managed to hold the Greater Sydney Rams out in an entertaining second half before winning 41-31 at Harlequin Oval.
 
2017 Standings after Round Four
Fiji Airways Drua 15
Bond University Queensland Country 10
Road Safety Perth Spirit 10
Canberra Vikings 10
Greater Sydney Rams 9
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 8
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 5
Elders NSW Country Eagles 4
Melbourne Rising 4

Saturday 23 September 
Elders NSW Country Eagles v Canberra Vikings
Elders NSW Country Eagles 25 (Tries: Ward, Gibbon, Newsome; Cons: Adams 2/3; Pens: Adams 2/2)
Canberra Vikings 24 (Tries: Fainga’aa (2), Robinson; Cons: Hawera 3/3; Pens: Hawera 1/1)
 
Saturday 23 September 
Fiji Airways Drua v Road Safety Perth Spirit
Fiji Airways Drua 41 (Tries: J. Stewart 2, F. Lomani, A. Waqatabu, P. Raidre, F. Seru; Cons: A. Waqatabu 4/6; Pens: A. Waqatabu 1/1)
Road Safety Perth Spirit 5 (Try: I. Naisarani)
 
Sunday 24 September 
Macquarie University Sydney Rays v Bond University Queensland Country
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 24 (Tries: P. Balekana, D. Fitzpatrick, D. Lolohea; Cons: R. Saifoloi 3/3; Pens: R. Saifoloi 1/1)
Bond University Queensland Country 50 (Tries: D. Paia’aua 3, F. Daugunu 2, J. Tuttle, C. Feauai-Sautia, H. Stewart; Cons: J. Tuttle 4/6, S. Malolua 1/2)
 
Sunday 24 September 
Melbourne Rising v Greater Sydney Rams
Melbourne Rising 41 (Tries: S. Tupou 2, K. Ratu 2, S. Tuipulotu, H. Goddard; Cons: J. McGregor 3/4, H. Goddard ½; Pens: J. McGregor 1/1)
Greater Sydney Rams 31(Tries: T. Naiyaravoro 2, H. Roach, K. Ale, W. Wessels; Cons: J. Ayoub 2/3, M. Mason 0/1, C. Bailey 1/1)

 
 
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NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR PREVIEW

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR PREVIEW

22/09/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24235462
 
 

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FOUR PREVIEW

SEPTEMBER 22, 2017
Regional NSW Rugby fans will be treated to a game in their own backyard this weekend when the Eagles take on Canberra Vikings in Armidale at 1:00 PM AEST.
 
Following this match top of the ladder teams Road Safety Perth Spirit and Fiji Airways Drua will go head to head in Fiji in front of a fervent crowd of locals.
 
On Sunday Sydney siders can once again get behind the Rays who will battle it out against Queensland Country at Pittwater Park. Bryce Hegarty will make his Rays debut after signing a two-year deal with the NSW Waratahs.
 
The final match of the round will see Melbourne Rising take on the Greater Sydney Rams to a huge home crowd at Harlequin Rugby Club.
 
The full team announcements can be found here.
 
Round Four Fixtures:
Saturday 23 September 
Elders NSW Country Eagles v Canberra Vikings
Where: Bellevue Oval, Armidale, NSW
When: 1:00 PM AEST
Broadcast Information:
  • The Eagles will play their first home game for the NRC season
  • NSW will welcome back Brumbies and Wallabies back Kyle Godwin
  • Canberra Vikings fell agonisingly short of maintaining an unbeaten start to the season, falling 42-40 to Brisbane City last week
  • Robbie Abel has been the Vikings stand out performer and will be one to look out for again on Saturday
Saturday 23 September 
Fiji Airways Drua v Road Safety Perth Spirit
Where: 3:00 PM AEST
When: Suva, Fiji
Broadcast Information:
  • The ladder leading teams will battle it out in Fiji for the second international game in the NRC season
  • The Drua boys dominated in their last two games with Mosese Voka proving to be a crucial defensive influence
  • Perth will host a line-up of Pindan Premier Grade stars including fullback Brendan Owen who scored his maiden NRC try last week and Australian U20 representative Clay Uyen who was an outstanding debut in Round Three
Sunday 24 September 
Macquarie University Sydney Rays v Bond University Queensland Country
Where: Pittwater Park, Sydney
When: 1:00 PM AEST
Broadcast Information:
  • Bryce Hegarty will make his Macquarie University Sydney Rays debut after just signing a new two-year deal with the NSW Waratahs
  • Queensland Country will welcome a home game advantage and extra recovery time under their belts following a bye last weekend
  • Both teams sit on five points on the NRC ladder and are desperate to keep touch with the top four
Sunday 24 September 
Melbourne Rising v Greater Sydney Rams
Where: Harlequin Club, Melbourne
When: 3:00 PM AEST
  • Thousands of Melbourne fans are expected to show their support for their home Rising team this Sunday at Harlequin Park
  • Both Rising and Rams are looking to get back in the winners’ circle after last-start losses
  • The Rams have made six changes from last weekend and welcome back NSW Waratahs star Jed Holloway
 
2017 Standings after Round Three
Road Safety Perth Spirit 10
Fiji Airways Drua 10
Canberra Vikings 9
Greater Sydney Rams 9
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 8
Bond University Queensland Country 5
Sydney Rays 5
Elders NSW Country Eagles 0
Melbourne Rising 0
READ MORE
Greater Sydney RAMS Newsletter September 14 2017

Greater Sydney RAMS Newsletter September 14 2017

14/09/2017, Australia, Rugby, National Rugby Championships (Rugby), Article # 24146148


PCS Greater Sydney Rams v Sydney Rays

Macquarie University Sunday September 10 2017

What the Coach thought.... 

It’s not often you get an away game about a few kilometres from home, but that was the case for this derby game against the Sydney Rays. Certainly the crowd seem slightly biased to the RAMS and the basin setup up at Macquarie Uni certainly looked a picture.

The boys were keen to back up their Round 1 performance and get the bragging rights of the NSW based teams and thereby win the Fat Cat Bell (Benn Robinson Bell, awarded to the winningest NSW team)

The performance was hot and cold, but we got there in the end. Defence was scratchy at times and we could have been down a fair bit if it wasn’t for some great try saving tackles by our diminutive halves Gonzalez & Calavassy. The good news was that when we got the ball, we used it well and scored some great tries.

Big Taqele was at his menacing best, while skipper Jed Holloway was superb on the fringes and was rightly awarded man of the match. Roach and Tuisue again proved to be amongst the best on field, while the set piece dominance proved to be a telling factor - Lagudi and Gillespie out pointing their highly credential opposition at scrum time. The lineout drive is starting to see the signs of Ben Hand's coaching and we hope it to be an area we can develop further. It was also great to see Jai Ayoub back on the park after his long injury and we know he’ll be invaluable as we push deeper into this comp. Thanks to the RAMS supporters for coming out to the game and remember- keep our next home game against Fiji on the 7th of October in your diaries – It should be a cracker!

This week we head West to take on competition favourites, Perth Spirit. With a roster full of super players and a fair cause to play for, we know we need to improve on our last outing. The boys are very excited about the trip and playing a highly credentialed team, providing us another opportunity to step up and show what we can do.

Baaaaaa the Rams!

John Manenti

Jed with the Horan-Little Shield which we've retained for another week and Jai holding the Benn Robinson Bell which we think we've won for 2017.

Presented by Nick Wasiliev from Green and Gold who came up with the conceptphoto Serge Gonzalez

You can see all the photos from the game here. Thanks to our outstanding snappers Jeremy and Serge

 
 

National Rugby Championship Ladder

RANK TEAM P W D L BP PD PTS
1 RAMS 2 2 0 0 1 36 9
2 VIKINGS 2 2 0 0 0 15 8
3 DRUA 2 1 0 1 1 12 5
4 QLD COUNTRY 2 1 0 1 1 11 5
5 SPIRIT 2 1 0 1 1 5 5
6 BRISBANE CITY 2 1 0 1 0 -10 4
7 RAYS 1 0 0 1 0 -15 0
8 EAGLES 1 0 0 1 0 -21 0
9 RISING 2 0 0 2 0 -33 0

HTTPS://WWW.FOXSPORTS.COM.AU/RUGBY/NRC/LADDER
 

photos:Jeremy Brennan
 

Preview

Rd 3 PCS Greater Sydney Rams v Perth Spirit

McGillivray Oval, Perth

Sunday 3pm AEST September 17 2017

The PCS Greater Sydney Rams have beaten the other two NSW sides and now move onto the current champions who have been widely tipped to go back to back in 2017. The Spirit are always hard to beat on their home turf with the Rams travelling across the Nullarbor for their second road trip game in a row. Apart from the incentive of defending their championship they have the added incentive of showing the ARU rugby is alive and well in the West after the axing of the Force. “What they are going through is a tough situation. I feel sorry for them to be honest. The support they got at the Wallabies test shows their passion for the game and I am hoping they come out and support a good Perth Spirit side this week.” said Jed Holloway. “Our main focus is on adding polish to our attack, while our defence is still probably not were we want it to be. We are close but not there yet. We will look at getting in a couple of good sessions before getting on the plane to Perth. They are the champions and the bench mark in this competition.” he added.

The Rams have picked a strong team to go over to the West for this game of the round as they chase their third win on the trot. “The teams pumped to get a shot at the reining premier, Perth, this week. Though it's nice to get wins over your neighbours, the challenge of taking on a near Super team is a great one for this group.” John Manenti commented. The Spirit will be strengthened with the release of Billy Meakes and Curtis Rona from the Wallaby training squad.

The coaches have made three changes to the side that accounted for the Rays last Sunday. Warringah's Sam Thomson comes in at lock to partner Albert Tuisue with Fergus Lee-Warner returning to the bench. Sam came off the bench last week and now gets his chance in the starting side. The big loss to the side is Matt Gonzalez, who is one of the best defensive half backs going around pulling off a number of try saving tackles last week. Matt has been ruled out for a few weeks and Dion Spice has been called up to fill the vacancy. “Dion Spice comes into the team at number 9. He played the back end of the season for West Harbour and has some good combination with Pirates players. He's from Waikato, New Zealand and was part of their Mitre 10 Cup squad last year. Like most Kiwi half backs, he brings a hard edge at the tackle and likes to boss the forwards around.” explained John Manenti. Daniel Calavassy, who came on for Matt last week, has been named on the bench. The only other change to the starting side is Liam Windon coming in for Stu Dunbar at full back. “Liam is given an opportunity this week, it's never easy pushing your way into a winning team, but he's trained well & earned his chance.” said John. Kodie Drury-Hawkins has been added to the bench as the 24th player to continue with his development.

The Spirit come into the match with a win and a loss. They had an impressive win at home against Melbourne Rising 45 – 33 first up, but fell to Canberra Vikings in Canberra last Sunday in a thriller that saw the Vikings score two tries in the last ten minutes to take the win 33 – 26. Vikings lead 19 – 5 at half time before the Spirit scored 21 unanswered points in the second half showing you take them lightly at your own peril. The Vikings showed they are not unbeatable and the Rams coaching staff will be formulating a game plan to nullify their main threats and capitalise on their weaknesses.

While the Rams will be looking to make it three from three the Spirit will not want to make it two losses in a row and so the battle up front should again be entertaining. The Rams forwards could be accused of false identity as they are hunting like a pack of well drilled wolves rather than a flock of sheep. It has been a team performance with all eight doing the job and you can only hope the Waratah brains trust is watching. One of the finds this season is Tight Head Rob Lagudi in his first year in the NRC. He will more than likely be up against Wallaby squad member Tetera Faulkner in what will be an important contest in determining the outcome at scrum time. The Spirit have a number of danger men in their pack and the clash of the two best number eights in the NRC will be one of the many highlights of this game. The Spirits number 8, Isi Naisarani, took a lot of stopping last week while Rams Jed Holloway has been one of the Rams best leading by example in both attack and defence. Albert Tuisue is another one the Spirit will be looking to contain. Albert has been in fine form and is proving a handfull.

In the backs the clash between Jono Lance and Mack Mason will be one to watch. Our centres and back three have been in fine form and can create a try out of nothing. They will be a up against some talent but will be up for the challenge.

The Rams are building into a well balanced unit and will welcome this game against the favourites which is full of Super Rugby players. With attacking threats across the 15 they will capitalise on any defensive lapses from the Spirit. Defence will again be decisive in the outcome. The Rams have the best defensive record of the sides who have played twice and have conceded 17 less points than the Spirit. It is the game of the season against two sides out to make a statement in 2017.

Paul Treanor

 
 
 
 

Match reports from last Sunday's game

Green and Gold :" By the looks of things, there seems to be a new attitude over at Eastwood that the Rams are taking compared to previous years. And it’s working." Rams claim Benn Robinson Bell with Rays win

Behind the Ruck: "They came into this year’s competition as a bit of an unknown given the coaching and ownership changes, but the Greater Sydney Rams won’t be able to hide under the radar for much longer if they continue in this vein" RAMS LATE SURGE DOWNS WASTEFUL RAYS

Rugby.com.au: Rams take the sting out of Rays and team of the week.

stats and  videos: down the bottom of this page

and our own legendary report from Paul:   Rams Make it Two from Two
 
 

The RAMS are backed by some terrific sponsors

PCS have been the naming sponsor of the RAMS for the past 3 years and are back again this season to keep the RAMS firing.  Joydeep Hor and his team are strong supporters of rugby at all levels and the RAMS are pleased to renew our partnership   You can read about PCS here

They're joined this season by Brookfield - a major international property and Investment firm: another organisation that is a strong supporter of rugby.  Brookfield's details are here  
Watch NRC with a FOX SPORTS Digital Subscription

Fox sports have a special offer for rugby lovers to watch the NRC through a FOX SPORTS Digital Subscription.

Briefly, the offer is $1 for the first month and $4.99 thereafter (can cancel anytime). With this, customers get access to two NRC matches LIVE each round, exclusive to the subscription (games that aren’t being shown on TV) and full replays of every game. All which can be accessed through our website and apps. You can see more on the offer here
Click here to take up this special offer
 
Look whats coming up!
 

Look who's back!!

ba-ba-ba-bababaranne

 

 
 

Here's the RAMS schedule for 2017.  

You can download a copy of the full draw here
 
The Greater Sydney RAMS womens team...
is playing the Rays this week (I know, confused me too)

Our U15s Greater Sydney Rams side celebrating a 49-7 win over South Australia last weekend!

This weekend they've got a double header in Canberra. On Saturday they will take on the NSW Country Eagles and face off against the ACT team on Sunday. All the best boys!! #ramsrugby
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