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NRC Rnd 5: Melbourne Rising vs Greater Sydney Rams

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oztimmay

oztimmay

Geoff Shaw (53)
Staff member
The Rugby roadshow takes itself to Morwell this weekend as the Rising take on the Rams. The Rising survived a horrid encounter against the bye, the Rams a loss to QLD Country.

Match day information can be found here.

I'd expect the Rising to bring back a few of its Super Rugby players from injury and overseas duties (well BaaBaas). Jones, Shipperly, English, Ah Nau and Timani should see game time this weekend.

Whilst some may grump at the fact the Rugby show is going to Morwell, you have no excuse to get down there. The Rebels/Rising are putting on Buses from 'Quins direct to the Ground. Think it's about $35, but go check on the website. I think it' a good idea to take Rugby on the road and pick up a few new fans, whilst bussing the rusted-on fans to a new location.

The main match starts at 2pm, so plenty of time to get down there. There is a curtain raiser match between Puckapunyal Boars and Cerberus Rugby Club - kick-off from 11am.

I'll provide a full report on the culinary delights on-hand, and I might even pay attention to the match.

Go Rising!
 
elementfreak

elementfreak

Trevor Allan (34)
Footscray and Melbourne Rebels forwards Cruze Ah-Nau and Lopeti Timani will make their first appearances of the 2015 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC), after both were named to start against the Greater Sydney Rams in Morwell this Saturday.
Ah-Nau and Timani each played every game of the Melbourne Rising’s 2014 season, where they won the inaugural Minor Premiership before being eliminated at the Semi Final stage, and they return after completing rehabilitation from minor injuries suffered in the lead-up to the NRC.
Their inclusions are among four changes to the starting lineup which defeated the North Harbour Rays back in Round Three, with Box Hill flyer Filipe Vilitati earning a first start on the right wing and Wallaby Dom Shipperley returning from representative duty with the Barbarians in the UK to start at outside centre.
In a further boost, fellow 2015 Barbarians representatives Tom English and Luke Jones return via the reserves bench, while Colby Fainga’a will lead the side out as Captain for the first time as Co-Captain Scott Fuglistaller moves out of the starting lineup as part of a backrow rotation.
Melbourne Rising Head Coach Zane Hilton said that there were plenty of difficult decisions to make at selection time.
“It’s exciting to welcome back Cruze, Dom, Lopeti, Luke and Tom, as well as to give Filipe his first start at NRC level; he’s certainly earned it,” Hilton said.
“Ultimately, we’ve had to leave out some players who have performed strongly for us, which bodes well for where our program is at.
“We’re really confident in the entire squad we have at our disposal, and that confidence has been justified by the way our players have performed when given the opportunity. We’ve used 28 players already in this competition after just three matches, yet our standards and expectations haven’t dropped.”
The Melbourne Rising will play a first ever match in Morwell, approximately 150 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, and Hilton is excited to take his side to regional Victoria.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to go and test out a wonderful regional facility,” he said. “Colby and Jonah went and visited the stadium last week, and they’ve only had good things to say.
“There’s a great playing surface, and they’ve hosted an A-League fixture out there before so we know that it is a first class setup. We’re looking forward to seeing as many Gippsland locals, as well as our dedicated Melbourne Rising fans, in Morwell on Saturday.”
Click here to find out more about the fixture and purchase tickets.
Click here to listen to Melbourne Rising Head Coach Zane Hilton on RSN: Sports & Racing, Wednesday September 16th.
Melbourne Rising vs. Greater Sydney Rams, NRC Round Five, Saturday 19th September 2015:
1. Cruze Ah-Nau (Footscray & Rebels, 9 Melbourne Rising caps)
2. Pat Leafa (Box Hill & Rebels, 12 Melbourne Rising caps)
3. Duncan Chubb (Southern Districts (NSW), 3 Melbourne Rising caps)
4. Sam Jeffries (Melbourne Uni & Rebels, 11 Melbourne Rising caps)
5. Steve Cummins (Harlequin & Rebels, 3 Melbourne Rising caps)
6. Jordy Reid (Melbourne Unicorns & Rebels, 3 Melbourne Rising caps)
7. Colby Fainga’a (Footscray & Rebels, 3 Melbourne Rising caps) (Captain)
8. Lopeti Timani (Footscray & Rebels, 9 Melbourne Rising caps)
9. Ben Meehan (Box Hill & Rebels, 6 Melbourne Rising caps)
10. Jack Debreczeni (Endeavour Hills & Rebels, 12 Melbourne Rising caps)
11. Stacey Ili (Melbourne Uni, 2 Melbourne Rising caps)
12. Lloyd Johansson (Harlequin, 12 Melbourne Rising caps)
13. Dom Shipperley (Melbourne Uni & Rebels, 1 Melbourne Rising cap)
14. Filipe Vilitati (Box Hill, 2 Melbourne Rising caps)
15. Jonah Placid (Melbourne Uni & Rebels, 10 Melbourne Rising caps)
16. Mitch Andrews (Melbourne Unicorns, 1 Melbourne Rising cap)
17. Fereti Sa’aga (Melbourne Uni, 5 Melbourne Rising caps)
18. Tom Moloney (Brothers (QLD), 1 Melbourne Rising cap)
19. Luke Jones (Moorabbin & Rebels, 9 Melbourne Rising caps)
20. Scott Fuglistaller (Moorabbin & Rebels, 3 Melbourne Rising caps)
21. Maradona Farao (Harlequin, 2 Melbourne Rising caps)
22. Sione Tuipulotu (Southern Districts, 3 Melbourne Rising caps)
23. Tom English (Melbourne Uni & Rebels, 9 Melbourne Rising caps)
 
swingpass

swingpass

Peter Sullivan (51)
impressive starting and bench, hard to resist backing them to go a lot further in the comp now
 
elementfreak

elementfreak

Trevor Allan (34)
Yeah, Marsters dropping out of the 23 is an interesting one. I thought he had been playing well and definitely deserved a spot on the bench.
 
oztimmay

oztimmay

Geoff Shaw (53)
Staff member
elementfreak said:
Yeah, Marsters dropping out of the 23 is an interesting one. I thought he had been playing well and definitely deserved a spot on the bench.
Click to expand...


Tough call, but if I had to pick between him and Stacey Ili I'd pick the latter.

Good looking team for what will be a tough match. Lopeti will be keen to unleash the wrecking ball and cause havoc. I think Duncan Chubb will be more at home at THP and will partner well with Pat and Cruz.

The super subs of Jones, English and Fugs on the bench should see us close this out well in the last 20 to 30min.

Rising by 15.
 
oztimmay

oztimmay

Geoff Shaw (53)
Staff member
Greater Sydney Rams team:

http://ramsrugby.com.au/news/team-announcement-for-round-5-v-melbourne-rising-19-september-2pm-2/

Some Super Rugby talent in the team, but as predicted they may run out of legs in the last 20 to 30. Forwards will be interesting, but not really worried about the back line.

Name Position
Jed Gillespie LOOSEHEAD PROP
Hugh Roach HOOKER
Cam Betham TIGHTHEAD PROP
Fili Tufui LEFT LOCK
Marcus Carbone RIGHT LOCK
Kelly Meafau LEFT FLANKER
Cohen Masson RIGHT FLANKER
Jed Holloway (C) NO. 8
Dewet Roos SCRUM HALF
Jai Ayoub FLYHALF
Brad Curtis LEFT WING
Michael McDougall INSIDE CENTRE
Paul Asquith OUTSIDE CENTRE
Nick Batger RIGHT WING
Brenden Hartmann FULLBACK

RESERVES
Cameron Orr
Siliva Silivia
Sam Needs
Will Munro
Jono Hayes
Taylor Adams
Rohan Saifoloi
Jordan Heyer
 
Tex

Tex

Greg Davis (50)
Should be a bloodbath. Hopefully there are a few people at the ground. It's a great initiative to take matches to the regions, but Gippsland in September is the beating heart of the AFL.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
 
swingpass

swingpass

Peter Sullivan (51)
Rams playing well Rising look really disjointed and Matt O'Brian continues as arguably the worst ref in professional ranks. both sides utterly perplexed at the breakdown. 13-8 to Rams just before halftime
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
That try by Gillespie is all time greatest prop try. I dare someone to find something better. Quite a few wingers would not have scored that.
 
WorkingClassRugger

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
swingpass said:
Rams playing well Rising look really disjointed and Matt O'Brian continues as arguably the worst ref in professional ranks. both sides utterly perplexed at the breakdown. 13-8 to Rams just before halftime
Click to expand...


I've seen Masson be penalised on three occasions for what were great pilfers and not be awarded for two others. There's been a few for the Rising as well. Utterly confusing.
 
kiap

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Placid with a nice try there.

Somehow doesn't look as small as seemed previously (probably an illusion).
 
swingpass

swingpass

Peter Sullivan (51)
rising can't concentrate for more than a couple of minutes at a time. top counterattack try by the Rams
 
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