SPIRIT READY TO CLASH WITH COUNTRY

PERTH SPIRIT MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 2 October 2014


The Perth Spirit will chase back-to-back victories to keep their finals hopes alive this Saturday when they host Queensland Country at Lark Hills Sports Complex, Rockingham in Round Seven of the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC).

The Spirit has made four changes to the starting XV that defeated the Sydney Stars, 63-21, last week at HBF Arena Joondalup.

Wests Scarborough’s Kane Koteka and Associates’ Al Rovira have been elevated to the back row from the bench while there is a shuffle in the centres with Kyle Godwin moving to the outside and Luke Burton returning to the side in the No. 12 jersey.

Christian Joubert (UWA) is a new addition to the bench along with Corey Thomas (UWA) and Ammon Matuauto (Associates), while UWA’s Richard Hardwick has traded places with Rovira. Joubert has won the Pindan Premier Grade Top Try-Scorer for the past two years running and is set to make his NRC debut on Saturday.

David Wessels, coach of the Perth Spirit, said the team is looking to back up their form from last week.

“We were obviously very pleased with our result against the Stars that came off the back of continued improvement in the effort and focus shown in our preparation and it was demonstrated in our effective game management,” he said.

“This week our focus is to back that up again and that will come from our attitude and decision-making on the field on Saturday afternoon.

“We got off to a bit of a slow start last week, letting in two early tries, but the commitment to turn that momentum and score nine consecutive tries was a credit to how hard this team work for each other.”

2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Week Seven
Perth Spirit v Queensland Country
Lark Hill Sportsplex, Rockingham
Saturday, 4 October 2014
Kick-off: 3.30pm (local)

1. Joe Savage (Palmyra)
2. Robbie Abel (Cottesloe)
3. Tetera Faulkner (Wanneroo)
4. Sam Wykes (c) (Wests Scarborough)
5. Brent Murphy (Perth Bayswater)
6. Brynard Stander (Nedlands)
7. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough)
8. Al Rovira (Associates)
9. Ian Prior (Nedlands)
10. Zack Holmes (Associates)
11. Marcel Brache (Perth Bayswater)
12. Luke Burton (UWA)
13. Kyle Godwin (Associates)
14. Luke Morahan (Kalamunda)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)

Reserves
16. Harry Scoble (UWA)
17. Chris Heiberg (Perth Bayswater)
18. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe)
19. Corey Thomas (UWA)
20. Richard Hardwick (UWA)
21. Justin Turner (Associates)
22. Ammon Matuauto (Associates)
23. Christian Joubert (UWA)

Now that's nice Kyle and Luke in the centres together.

Junior?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stone Cold

Junior?

---

He looked to be hobbling a little when he came off at half time last week.

Heard he had to go home for a family funeral.

Oh real? That's pretty shit for him and his then :(

Good result for the Spirit in Canberra tonight.

PERTH SPIRIT MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, 3 October 2014

JOUBERT IN FOR COUNTRY CLASH

The Perth Spirit has made a change to the run-on side taking on Queensland Country at Lark Hill Sporting Complex tomorrow with UWA’s Christian Joubert replacing Marcel Brache on the wing.

Brache has some lingering soreness from the previous match against the Stars but will be ably covered by Joubert who has been training well with the Perth side.

Joubert’s pace and evasive skills has seen him awarded the Pindan Premier Grade Top-Try Scorer for the past two seasons and efforts caught the eye of the Spirit coaching staff.

“Christian is a very talented rugby player and his effort and commitment at training has resulted in this well-deserved opportunity,” Coach David Wessels said.

“Marcel pulled up sore from the match last week and on the advice of our medical staff we felt it was best not to push him this week. We are very comfortable with our replacement in Christian – and excited to see what he is able to make of his opportunity.”

With Joubert elevated to the starting XV, Va’a Mailei has come on to the bench to cover the inside backs. Corey Thomas and Ammon Matuauto have also not recovered sufficiently from their niggling shoulder injuries and have been replaced on the bench by Scott Stevens and Davis Tavita respectively.

2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Week Seven
Perth Spirit v Queensland Country
Lark Hill Sportsplex, Rockingham
Saturday, 4 October 2014
Kick-off: 3.30pm (local)

1. Joe Savage (Palmyra)
2. Robbie Abel (Cottesloe)
3. Tetera Faulkner (Wanneroo)
4. Sam Wykes (c) (Wests Scarborough)
5. Brent Murphy (Perth Bayswater)
6. Brynard Stander (Nedlands)
7. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough)
8. Al Rovira (Associates)
9. Ian Prior (Nedlands)
10. Zack Holmes (Associates)
11. Christian Joubert (UWA)
12. Luke Burton (UWA)
13. Kyle Godwin (Associates)
14. Luke Morahan (Kalamunda)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)

Reserves
16. Harry Scoble (UWA)
17. Chris Heiberg (Perth Bayswater)
18. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe)
19. Scott Stevens (Nedlands)
20. Richard Hardwick (UWA)
21. Justin Turner (Associates)
22. Davis Tavita (Nedlands)
23. Va’a Mailei (Palmyra)

Haha - had to look twice when I saw the name Joubert! Great loking side & I hope they play as well as they did last week. They really seemed to have gelled together well now. Have been impressed with Va'a also, great speed from what I've seen so far. So long as they continue the ball in hand with less kicking & NO F'n CHIP KICKS!