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Not only is it a little bewildering that the ARU have dropped the still developing RugbyWA Rep XV from the ARS this year (and defending Champs the Vikings) they have now left themselves with a lesser Comp that the two "Countries" should dominate with some competition from Melbourne.
Not only is it a backward step for grass roots WA Rugby but also a drop in standard for the other developing Unions, a regretable decision by the ARU for mine
2007 Australian Rugby Shield
The Australian Rugby Shield (ARS) is a national competition that aims to provide regional teams and developing unions with a regular schedule to compete against each other at a higher level of competition than would normally be possible in their individual states or territories.
The 2007 Australian Rugby Shield will consist of a five week round robin competition commencing on Saturday, 5 May and culminating on Saturday, 2 June 2007. The winner will be declared as first-past- the-post after the completion of the round robin competition. There will be no Semi-Finals or a Final.
The 2007 ARS competition will include the following teams:
- Adelaide Black-Falcons
- DarwinMosquitoes
- MelbourneAxemen
- NSW Country Cockatoos
- QLD Country Heelers, and
- Tassie Jack Jumpers.
Australian Rugby Shield Champions:
2006 - ACT & Southern NSW Vikings
2005 - Perth Gold
2004 - NSW Country Cockatoos
2003 - Perth Gold
2002 - NSW Country Cockatoos
2001 - NSW Country Cockatoos
2000 - QLD Country Heelers
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Australian Rugby Shield kicks off this weekend
May 04, 2007 - 11:28am
Story by: ARU
The 2007 Australian Rugby Shield commences this Saturday with Adelaide, Darwin and Melbourne all set to host matches in Round One.
The introduction of the Australian Rugby Championship later this year sees the Australian Rugby Shield revert to a round robin format with five teams – Adelaide Black Falcons, Darwin Mosquitoes, Melbourne Axemen, NSW Country Cockatoos and Queensland Country Heelers – playing each other over five weeks to determine the champion.
The Tassie Jack Jumpers, who first appeared in the competition last year, will play three matches this season, all of which are non-competition matches that do not count the overall championship.
Now in its eighth year, the ARS is funded solely by the Australian Rugby Union and provides an important opportunity for regional teams and developing unions to compete in a structured competition against sides of a similar standard.
The competition also ensures rugby fans across the country and in regional Australia have the opportunity to get a taste of the game, with supporters being able to see high quality and exciting Rugby from some of the country’s developing young players.
Round One of the 2007 Australian Rugby Shield kicks off this Saturday with the Darwin Mosquitoes playing host to the NSW Country Cockatoos; 2006 finalists the Melbourne Axemen come up against the Tassie Jack Jumpers; and the Adelaide Black Falcons go head-to-head with Queensland County Heelers.
Match results will be circulated by the ARU at the end of each round.
The full 2007 fixture list can be accessed here
http://www.rugby.com.au/fixtures_res...ure,41821.html
Squads for all the teams competing in this year’s tournament can be accessed here http://www.rugby.com.au/fixtures_res...ads,57117.html
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
WA should be in it!!!!!![]()
AUSTRALIAN RUGBY SHIELD – ROUND 1 RESULTS
Three games were played this weekend in Round 1 of the Australian Rugby Shield competition.
The Adelaide Black Falcons hosted the Queensland Country Heelers at Gleneagles Reserve at Woodville.
After the scores were locked 3-3 at halftime, Queensland Country eventual pulled away for an 17-8 victory.
Darwin Mosquitoes hosted the NSW Country Cockatoos in the other day game at Austar Rugby Park in Darwin.
After the NSW Country side led 20-8 at halftime, the home team hit back, however falling one try short and going down 20-15.
In a night game at Harlequin Oval at Ashwood in suburban Melbourne, the Melbourne Axemen played host to the Tassie Jack Jumpers.
The Axemen ran in 12 tries,(four of them to Todd Cornford) in a 72-nil scoreline.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
so why is there no west aussie team in the comp this year exactly??? havent they (perth gold i believe) been consistantly up the top competing for the crown over the past few years????
The view is that this comp is for developing the amateur areas of the country and now, since we have a Pro team, that development can be done by the Force. The same occured for last years Champs, ACT & Southern NSW Vikings.
However, a little birdie told me that in the future RugbyWA will be looking for the inclusion of a WA Country XV.
There is obviously plenty of Country development to occur before that would float.
I still can't understand why a WA Grade XV can't contest, coming from the A Grade Clubs.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
we had a pro team last year and i thought the perth gold were still in the competition???
And so where the Brumbies with the Vikings, for better or worse things have changed.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
things do tend to change with time i guess, i thought the perth gold was a basiclly a grade XV. I think its probably the wrong decision in the end, could be better if the wa side was still there for the other states to compete against (the whole learing expierience etc) Not really familiar with country rugby in WA, is it (or would) it be up to the standard, turning up and getting pummled every week isnt exactly the best thing (ask eddie jones and qld)
I thought we had opted to put the Force Spirit into the Provinical comp and I am sure not having the Perth Gold in the Shield would have blown travel budget.
more than happy to see WA concentrate on the Force Spirit for now.
For the record it is PERTH SPIRITOriginally Posted by hopep
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Apologies, My Bad
Yeah Jargan, as I indicated, there is considerable development required before the Country plan will be floated. I would suggest probably ten years or so.
What may occur is if there is an expansion of the ARC with perhaps teams in Qld & NSW Country and Adelaide then the ARS may become a lower standard with say Darwin, Tasmania, Melbourne A Grade, Vic Country, Perth A Grade, WA Country or the like.
In any case, I would think we are in a stable pattern for the next five years with the respective ARS and ARC teams.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Australian Rugby Shield Round 2 Results
ARU Media Release, 13-5-2007
Two games were played this weekend in Round 2 of the Australian Rugby Shield.
At Gunnedah, the NSW Country Cockatoos got home in a thriller 25-23 over the visiting Adelaide Black Falcons.
After trailing 17-6 at halftime the Cockatoos gave surrendered their lead with just four minutes remaining in the game, however a penalty conversion two minutes from time was good enough to secure the victory.
At the same time the Melbourne Axemen were recording a 29-17 victory over the Mosquitoes in the heat of Darwin.
For the second week Darwin outscored their visitors in the second half, but allowed their opponents just too much room to move in the first term.
Next weekend Tasmania is home to Adelaide in Hobart, the Queensland Country side is home in Rockhampton for Darwin and NSW Country moves on to Cowra to face the Axemen of Melbourne.
Teams P W L BP Pts
NSW Country Cockatoos 2 2 0 0 8
Melbourne Axemen 1 1 0 1 5
QLD Country Heelers 1 1 0 0 4
Darwin Mosquitoes 2 0 2 1 1
Adelaide Black Falcons 2 0 2 1 1
Tassie Jack Jumpers * 0 0 0 n/a n/a
* All matches involving Tasmania are non-competition matches and, therefore, no points shall be awarded.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Australian Rugby Shield - Round Three Results
May 19, 2007 - 7:17pm
Story by: ARU
Melbourne Axemen currently sit on top of the Australian Rugby Shield table after a thrilling 24-23 win over NSW Country Cockatoos in round three this afternoon.
Axemen winger Michael Thompson contributed 14 of his team’s points as they held off a gallant late charge from the Cockatoos in front of a good crowd in Cowra.
In other games Queensland Country Heelers needed a late Ashley Kirk try to see off a dogged Darwin Mosquitoes outfit 26-17 in Rockhampton and the Adelaide Black Falcons scored eight tries in their 49-0 rout of the Tassie Jack Jumpers in Hobart.
Melbourne 24 (Heath Spence, Todd Cornford, Michael Thompson tries; Thompson 3 cons, pen) defeated NSW Country 23 (Dan Kevill, Leith Cooper, Pat Barrett tries; Cooper con, 2 pens) in Cowra.
Queensland Country 26 (Shane Lett, Ashley Kirk, Doug McNicholl tries, Ben Tennant 3 pen con) defeated Darwin 17 (Mal Roney, Andre Thomas tries; Nathan Roach pen, con, Tyson Doughty con) in Rockhampton.
Adelaide 49 (Mika Leawere 2, Clint Callaghan 2, Aaron Mattin, Jon Collins, Ben Suttell, Andrew Farquharson, Farquharson 3 cons, pen) defeated Tasmania 0 in Hobart.
ARS Table (after three rounds)
Teams, P, W, D, L, PF, PA, PD, BP, Pts
Melbourne Axemen, 2, 2, 0, 0, 53, 40, +13, 1, 9
NSW Country Cockatoos, 3, 2, 0, 1, 68, 62, +6, 1, 9
QLD Country Heelers, 2, 2, 0, 0, 43, 25, +18, 0, 8
Adelaide Black Falcons, 2, 0, 0, 2, 31, 42, -11, 1, 1
Darwin Mosquitoes, 2, 0, 0, 2, 32, 49, -17, 1, 1
All matches involving Tasmania are non-competition matches and, therefore, no points shall be awarded.
Key
P = Played
W = Won
D = Drawn
L = Lost
PF = Points For
PA = Points Against
PD = Points Differential
BP = Bonus Points
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.