FOUR MAKE STARTING DEBUT TO BUTT HEADS WITH RAMS

[The InnFORCEr]

PERTH SPIRIT MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday, 4 September 2014


Four players will make their Perth Spirit starting debut when the side takes on the Greater Sydney Rams at Adelaide Airport Stadium, Adelaide on Saturday afternoon in Round Three of the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC).

It will be Wests Scarborough winger, Brad Lacey’s first cap for the Spirit while Cottesloe hooker Robbie Abel and lock Kieran Stringer, and Western Force scrumhalf Ian Prior (Nedlands), who will captain the Spirit this week, have all been elevated to the run-on side from the bench.

Australian Under 20 representative Lacey and Cottesloe’s Vili Fielea will cover the wings and Prior will join fellow Western Force teammate, Zack Holmes in the halves.

It is an all-Cottesloe front-row with Abel packing down with Alec Hepburn and Oliver Hoskins, and Stringer and UWA’s Corey Thomas will back them in the second-row.

The back row of Brent Murphy (Perth Bayswater), Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough) and Alex Rovira (Associates) complete the forward pack.

After his blitzing 40-metre try against the Canberra Vikings in Round One, Ammon Matuauto returns to the starting XV, teaming up with Australian Under 20 representative Luke Burton in the centres while the Spirit’s leading try-scorer, Dillyn Leyds, shifts from flyhalf to fullback.

Perth Spirit coach David Wessels said the team had regrouped from the previous week’s loss to Brisbane City.

“This is a very hard-working group and that has been shown in both performances during this competition,” he said.

“We learnt from both our games against the Vikings and Brisbane City that we need to be working as a unit throughout the match and making sure that this continues through until the final whistle.

“The standards and effort of everyone has been excellent. This week we have four players that will make their first appearances in our starting XV, as we look to continue to provide opportunities for both our local club and Western Force players to play alongside each other in this competition.

“In addition to broadening our own player base in WA, this week gives us an opportunity to grow the game by taking a match to Adelaide. While not necessarily the largest of Australia’s rugby nurseries, I understand there is still a strong rugby culture in South Australia and we’re excited about the opportunity to take this match to Adelaide this weekend.”

2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Week Three
Perth Spirit v Greater Sydney Rams
Adelaide Airport Oval, Adelaide
Saturday, 6 September 2014
Kick-off: 2pm (local)/ 12.30pm (AWST)

1. Alec Hepburn (Cottesloe)
2. Robbie Abel (Cottesloe)
3. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe)
4. Corey Thomas (UWA)
5. Kieran Stringer (Cottesloe)
6. Brent Murphy (Perth Bayswater)
7. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough)
8. Alex Rovira (Associates)
9. Ian Prior (c) (Nedlands)
10. Zack Holmes (Associates)
11. Vili Fielea (Cottesloe)
12. Luke Burton (UWA)
13. Ammon Matuauto (Associates)
14. Brad Lacey (Wests Scarborough)
15. Dillyn Leyds (Palmyra)

Reserves
16. Harry Scoble (UWA)
17. Joe Savage (Palmyra)
18. Chris Heiberg (Perth Bayswater)
19. Rory Walton (Wests Scarborough)
20. Richard Hardwick (UWA)
21. Justin Turner (Associates)
22. Davis Tavita (Nedlands)
23. Va’a Mailei (Palmyra)

Rights-free images can be found here following the game

[benny]

Where's Junior / Marcel / Sammy / DHP / Monahan ? Do the Force players only play in Home games due to fatigue or other reasons ?

[The InnFORCEr]

Where's Junior / Marcel / Sammy / DHP / Monahan ? Do the Force players only play in Home games due to fatigue or other reasons ?

Yes

Comments by me from another NRC thread...

Never going to please everyone every week with selections, but the main reason for this comp is to "bridge the gap" and those that have never had (or had limited) Super Rugby experience are the one's that need to start the crossing bridge first, the others are already on top of the bridge taking photo's

I'd rather finish last in the competition and have all the newer guys getting good field time, than say trying to field the above team with only injury replacements and take out the comp. That would not be building for our future IMHO.

[jargan83]

Just let the club blokes do the job like they did against Canberra two weeks ago.

[UNCLE BOOG]

cant we assume that the team last week was a demo run for Link? Surely Link is looking at Luke M, Junior, Kyle, DHP for possible Wallabies potential/injury cover?
Personally, I say let the team pick as they see fit, I would assume there is a motivation, and simply saying "let the local guys have a run" isnt really fair for the coaching and management staff. I made the assumption last weeks team, was for a reason. A reason that I, as a beer drinking pleb, dont need to concern myself with!
On the flip side to that, it is ironic that the "Force" team played at home, where the local boys would have cherished playing in front of family and friends, but, thats just the cookie crumbling I suppose.

/Im done/

[Invictus]

Good luck to them.

[oxleymoron]

For once - a home game that I don't have far to travel to

[valzc]

And what happened to Ross HP, is he injured from Sunday? And is Ed Stubbs still with the Force?

[travelling_gerry]

Ed Stubbs played and scored a try for the NSW Country Eagles tonight, as did Sam Waru, Paddy Dellitt was at fullback.

[Buddha Handy]

Ed Stubbs played and scored a try for the NSW Country Eagles tonight, as did Sam Waru, Paddy Dellitt was at fullback.

Yes there were a lot of ex force players tonight. Luke and josh Holmes as well . None of them really made me wish we kept them though. Andrew kelleway on the other hand would be nice to get, the tahs don't need him!

[WCR]

Yes there were a lot of ex force players tonight. Luke and josh Holmes as well . None of them really made me wish we kept them though. Andrew kelleway on the other hand would be nice to get, the tahs don't need him!

The hell we don't. We lost Alofa Alofa so we need another winger and he'll fit the bill nicely. We'll take Sam Windsor as well.

[RugbyFan]

Looks like they're doing some live stream testing, 2nd half of the game can be watched live here

[jargan83]

Perth Spirit go down to the Rams 44-34

[jono]

Cheers rugby fan! just wish i saw it earlier!