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PERTH SPIRIT MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 25 September 2014
The Perth Spirit has named their side to take on the Sydney Stars this Sunday at HBF Arena Joondalup including a mix of Super Rugby experienced and local club rugby players.
The Spirit has produced solid performances against quality sides in the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) and will this week be chasing their first home victory of the season.
Palmyra’s Joe Savage, Cottesloe’s Robbie Abel and Perth Bayswater’s Brent Murphy have been strong performers for the Spirit and have maintained their positions at loosehead, hooker and lock respectively.
Savage and Abel will be joined by Tetera Faulkner in the front row while Murphy will line up alongside captain and seasoned Super Rugby campaigner Sam Wykes in the second-row, who will captain the side.
UWA back-rower Richard Hardwick moves from the blindside to openside flank with Western Force heavyweight Brynard Stander taking the number six jersey. Australian Under 20 representative, Ross Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe), makes his return from injury and will pack down at the back of the scrum.
The Spirit will roll out a powerful backline with an abundance of Super Rugby experience to take on the Stars, including the club’s leading point-scorer Zack Holmes (38), who continues at flyhalf while Ian Prior will fill the scrumhalf role.
With the fast pace of the Buildcorp NRC, Marcel Brache and Luke Morahan will bring additional speed to the wings while Kyle Godwin and Junior Rasolea team up in the centres. Dane Haylett-Petty, who was very strong in his last performance against Brisbane City, will again start from fullback.
Perth Spirit coach, Kevin Foote, said his side was looking forward to a match on home soil.
“We are very excited to be returning home after three weeks on the road and the team will be buoyed by having the home support behind us in Joondalup on Sunday," Foote said.
“We take a lot of pride in playing in front of our supporters. While we had some good passages in our last home performance against Brisbane City, we know we have to sustain that for 80 minutes to get the result we’re after.
“This week we have a number of our Force players returning to the squad as we continue our preparations for next year’s Super Rugby season as well as allowing us to inject some fresh legs into the Spirit.
“Our club players, such as Joe [Savage] and Brent [Murphy], have continued to make the most of their opportunities throughout this competition, and we’re excited about continuing to expose those guys to the next level of rugby as we look to broaden our player base in WA.”
2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Week Six
Perth Spirit v Sydney Stars
HBF Arena Joondalup
Sunday, 28 September 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. Richard Hardwick (UWA)
8. Ross Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)
9. Ian Prior (Nedlands)
10. Zack Holmes (Associates)
11. Marcel Brache (Perth Bayswater)
12. Kyle Godwin (Associates)
13. Junior Rasolea (Cottesloe)
14. Luke Morahan (Kalamunda)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)
Reserves
16. Harry Scoble (UWA)
17. Chris Heiberg (Perth Bayswater)
18. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe)
19. Kieran Stringer (Cottesloe)
20. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough)
21. Alex Rovira (Associates)
22. Justin Turner (Associates)
23. Dillyn Leyds (Palmyra)
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Very predictable to see Force players being taken out of cotton wool for the home game.
Shoots down the development line we've been fed for a couple of weeks.
Before the comp started HQ were very open about the fact that Force players would generally only be used for home games (3 out of 8 matches), so no surprise for me in that team list.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Great showcase of WA rugby.
Really looking forward to the game on Sunday!!
As TIF said, when the competition started up the RWA were quite open that this is the sort of thing they'd be doing. There's still a fair number of non-Force players in the side, though:
Savage, Abel, Murphy, Hardwick, RHP, Scoble, Stringer, Koteka, Rovira
OK, some may have been on the fringes, but I think we're seeing the next level of WA players coming through, and 14 Force/9 club players is more like the ratio most teams have been playing in the NRC.
Last edited by Sheikh; 25-09-14 at 12:56. Reason: spelling
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
That's the Force backline for next year I think.
Other than Alby at 9 and Sias at 10 as possible starters (maybe Turner as well)
If the people who've been coaching the Rising are the ones who'll be coaching the Rebels next season they could be very competitive!! Eeek!!
(is that Argie guy still a chance?)
Never was
“Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.
You have to consider it in the context of who they are playing against. That was pretty much a Rebels A team give or take a couple of players. The Brumbies A team would probably not include more than 1 or 2 of the players the Vikings rolled out. You also have to wonder whether so many back to back games at this point in the year will allow enough time for rest for the Rebels players for the start of Super Rugby in February.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
I don't know what you were reading but there is NOT ONE word attributed to Montero claiming he was looking at a move to the Force.
The Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade claimed it but again NOT ONE direct quote.
I actually said two marquees and six other overseas players WAS the limit and it was pushed out to three marquees to allow Steve Mafi after work by Mark Sinderberry.
Am just hoping the Spirit aren't going to fall back to the old kick feet strategy, as per Footes statement about a kicking battle if they need to. God I hope not! They always gain loads more ground when they attack & look stronger. AND IF I SEE ANOTHER BLOODY CHIP KICK...................!!