There's more info here, from the Tahs:
Magners Shute Shield Media Release
Wednesday May 7, 2014
Magners Shute Shield Round 7 Preview: ‘Wrecking ball’ Naiyaravovo to make union debut for Parra
By Jack McIlroy Reid
League convert and Waratahs’ new signing Taqele Naiyaravoro will make his rugby union debut for Parramatta this Saturday in the Two Blues’ Round 7 Magners Shute Shield clash with the mighty Woodies.
Nicknamed the ‘wrecking ball’ for his colossal 120kg and 190cm frame, Naiyaravoro last week left Wests Tigers and gets his first chance to impress Tahs’ coach Michael Cheika at TG Millner this Saturday when he will run out at inside centre in his first game of rugby union since his schooldays in Fiji.
Naiyaravoro trained with his new team mates for the first time yesterday and made a huge impression on the Two Blues’ head coach.
“He defies logical physics!” exclaimed Gerrard Fasavalu. “He trained with us mid-week - someone that size shouldn’t be moving that fast. He’s bigger than most of our forwards, I’m certainly glad he’s on our team and not the opposition.”
Despite what he called “devastating pace”, Fasavalu says he wasn’t tempted to use Naiyaravoro on the wing against Eastwood. “At 12 he will get more ball and be able to read the game better, it is for his own development.
“The modern game is about developing smart footballers and we want to accelerate this young man’s learning and prove that he is not all brawn but has a rugby brain too.”
Fasavalu also says that whilst Naiyaravoro will clearly benefit from game-time, his new team-mates are already learning a lot from the high-profile code-switcher. “He’s an inspiring player. His (early) transaction to union has been effortless and he proved that by training really well. He got on excellently with the boys and made a real effort. He really enjoyed himself and gave everyone a massive boost.”
Having so far won three and lost three, the Two Blues sit sixth on the overall ladder and Fasavalu knows that there is still plenty of room for improvement.
“We’re progressing week by week and that’s important. We’ve also been focusing on our defence because a good attacking side wins matches but a good defensive side wins championships.
“
Although I’d love to make the top six, it’s important we don’t spend too much time focusing on August and neglect thinking about the weekend. Eastwood present a huge challenge but we’re looking forward to it.”
Naiyaravoro’s inclusion is one of four changes to the Parra starting XV that beat Penrith last weekend, with Evan Olmstead starting at lock and Justin Paulo and Chris Nay starting at wing and fullback respectively.
After last weekend being beaten by Souths away for the first time since 2011, the second-placed Woodies will be looking to get back to winning ways when they return home to TG Millner this weekend, fielding an unchanged side.
With the NSW Waratahs enjoying a Super Rugby bye weekend, Tahs players and club fans alike will relish their return to club rugby. Randwick welcome
s back Matt Carraro, who starts at outside centre for the Wicks’ ABC TV match of the round against Souths.
The Galloping Greens will be looking to keep up with the top four after last weekend slipping up against West Harbour and also include fellow Tahs Stephen Hoiles and David Horwitz, plus Liam Windon, in their starting XV.
Souths put their slow start to the season behind them with an exhilarating win over Eastwood last week and bring in Chris O’Reilly and Sasa Tofilau as they look for their fourth game on the bounce.
Watch a video preview of this match on
Shute Shield TV.
Tahs pair Brendan McKibbin and Tala Gray start for Eastern Suburbs in their bottom-of-the-table clash against Penrith. Cooper Chapman, Billy Johnston and Darcy Etritch also return for the Beasties.
After narrowly missing out to Parramatta in last weekend’s western derby, the Emus will be looking to record their first win of the campaign and make two changes, with Paea Siualangapo replacing Sione Pusi'aki Fifita and Michael Mate coming in for Makajau Zelezniak.
Elsewhere, Sydney University looks to build on an impressive win over Norths, with coach Chris Malone making six changes, including the entire front row, as he welcomes back a handful of Super Rugby players. Fresh from last week’s victory over the Hurricanes, NSW pair Jeremy Tilse and Tolu Latu return to club duty, as does fellow Tah Pat McCutcheon. Tom Robertson, Chris Ingate and Jack Macklin are also handed starts for the journey to Gordon.
The Highlanders pipped Eastern Suburbs in a tight affair last Saturday but still find themselves just three points clear of the foot of the ladder. Aritema Ralulu and Andrew Chapman come into the pack whilst Erik Moss replaces Haney Carmichael at flyhalf.
West Harbour’s difficult start to the season continues with the visit of Warringah. The Pirates though will be buoyed last weekend’s solid win over Randwick and the naming of an unchanged side.
After suffering their first loss of the season last weekend at the hands of the Marlins, the Rats will be looking to regain top spot, as they welcome back Bradley Dixon on the wing and lock Michael Ritchie.
Finally, on Sunday, Northern Suburbs will have to manage without captain Nick Lah when they welcome top- of-the-table Manly in a game that will be streamed live and in HD online at
www.clubrugbytv.com.au from 3pm. Lah is replaced in the front row by Connor Healy, with the team’s captain not confirmed until tomorrow.
Healy is joined in the starting XV by Cristian Cage and Waratah Cam Crawford. The Marlins meanwhile are without Tim Fairbrother, Greg Peterson and Brian Sefanaia, the trio replaced by John Baranyi, captain Ed Gower and Malietoa Hingano.
As always, the 2014 competition will be broadcast live on ABC1 throughout NSW and the ACT on Saturdays from 3pm. Interstate viewers can watch a full replay of each week’s Shute Shield game at 3.30am on Tuesday mornings on ABC1 nationally and rugby fans everywhere can catch all the action online at anytime on ABC iView.
A full fixtures list, together with weekly previews and all the results and round by round team lists can be found at
www.nswrugby.com.au.
For up to the minute scores and all the weekly results, previews and reviews, don’t forget to follow the competition on Facebook at
Shute Shield and twitter at
@ShuteShield. Highlights and previews of every round are also available on the
Shute Shield YouTube channel.
Magners Shute Shield Round 7 matches
Saturday May 10
Eastwood v Parramatta @ T.G.Millner Field, 3:00pm
Eastwood: 1. Jed Gillespie, 2. Hugh Roach, 3. Guy Millar, 4. Steve Cummins, 5. Andrew Clyne, 6. Michael Kovacic, 7. George Kent, 8. Hugh Perrett, 9. Mick Snowden, 10. Pierre Hola, 11. Nick Batger, 12. Tom Hill, 13. Michael McDougall, 14. Ben Shorter, 15. Ben Batger.
Parramatta: 1. Nick Blacklock, 2. Liu Taituave, 3. Simon Lemalu, 4. Evan Olmstead, 5. Sakaria Noa, 6. Andrew Cox (c), 7. Rodney Ma'a, 8. Josh Kaifa, 9. Kaleb Rech, 10. Sam Yakopo, 11. Justin Paulo, 12. Taqele Naiyarav
oro, 13. Lani Tiatia, 14. Alex Samoa, 15. Chris Nay.
Referee: Richard Goswell
Gordon v Sydney University @ Chatswood Oval 3:00pm
Gordon: 1. Aritema Ralulu, 2. Ron Hobden, 3. Nick Fraser, 4. Ruiradh Wilson, 5. Andrew Chapman, 6. Jack Maguire, 7. Mitch Greenway, 8. Malelili Vukinamualevu, 9. Terry Preston (c), 10. Erik Moss, 11. Brandon Quinn, 12. Tom Matthews, 13. Matt McDougall, 14. Xavier McCoy, 15. Sione Ala.
Sydney University: 1. Jeremy Tilse, 2. Tolu Latu, 3. Tom Robertson, 4. Harry Marples, 5. Tom Heslop, 6. Patrick McCutcheon, 7. David Hickey, 8. Tom Boidin (c), 9. Jake Gordon, 10. Daniel Kelly, 11. Henry Clunies-Ross, 12. Tom Carter, 13. Chris Ingate, 14. James Dargaville, 15. Jack Macklin.
Referee: Ian Smith
Penrith v Eastern Suburbs @ Nepean Rugby Park 3:00pm
Penrith: 1. Daniel Arona, 2. Ethan Robinson Mate (c), 3. Nigel Vaifale, 4. Paea Siualangapo, 5. Senio Toleafoa, 6. Dave Reopoama, 7. John Waititi, 8. Tyrone Viiga, 9. Notise Tauafao, 10. Robbie Mate, 11. Wilson Silipa, 12. Michael Mate, 13. KJ McKenzie, 14. Jerome McKenzie, 15. Solomona Silipa.
Eastern Suburbs: 1. Cooper Chapman, 2. Billy Johnston, 3. Michael Fakava, 4. Gab Passmore, 5. Phil Mathers, 6. Richard Stanford, 7. Ben Willis, 8. Tala Gray, 9. Brendan McKibbin, 10. Henry Hudson, 11. Damon Anderson, 12. Anton La Vin (c), 13. Daniel Gallagher, 14. Will Paterson, 15. Darcy Etrich.
Referee: Jamie McGregor
Randwick v Southern Districts @ Coogee Oval 3:00pm LIVE ON ABC TV
Randwick: 1. Toa Asa,
2. Alex Walker,
3. Tristan Goodbody,
4. Dan Falefa,
5. Will Munro,
6. Sam Figg,
7. Tom Connor,
8. Stephen Hoiles,
9. Harry Boileau,
10. David Horwitz,
11. Ethan Ford,
12. Kuki Ma'afu,
13. Matt Carraro,
14. Tim Wright,
15. Liam Windon.
Southern Districts: 1. Duncan Chubb, 2. Maile Nguamo, 3. Tim Metcher, 4. Andrew Leota, 5. Marcus Carbone, 6. Sam Latunipulu, 7. Kieran Black, 8. Jed Holloway (c), 9. Chris O'Reilly, 10. Rohan Saifoloi, 11. Sasa Tofilau, 12. Ollie Samuela, 13. Denny Godinet, 14. Ben Connelly, 15. Richie Williams.
Referee: Michael Hogan
West Harbour v Warringah @ Concord Oval 3:00pm
West Harbour: 1. Michael Ala’alatoa, 2. Ryan Dalziel, 3. Dave Lolohea, 4. Harrison Orr, 5. Phil Manukeu, 6. Tom Games (c), 7. Cohen Masson, 8. Matt Coles, 9. Rob Cattanach, 10. Dave Harvey, 11. Joel Brooks, 12. Henry Seavula, 13. Rory Sidey, 14. Tito Mua, 15. Usaia O'Sullivan.
Warringah: 1. Richard Southan, 2. Luke Holmes (c), 3. Wayne Borsak, 4. Tristan Stanley, 5. Michael Ritchie, 6. Martin Collins, 7. Boyd Killingworth, 8. Sam Crompton, 9. Joshua Holmes, 10. Hamish Angus, 11. Bradley Dixon, 12. Tui Tuisavaii, 13. Michael Adams, 14. Sireli Tagicakibau, 15. David Feltscheer.
Referee: William Houston
Sunday May 11
Northern Suburbs v Manly @ North Sydney Oval 3:00pm LIVE ONLINE AT www.clubrugbytv.com.au
Northern Suburbs: 1. Kevin McNamara, 2. Will Weeks, 3. Conner Healy, 4. Matt White, 5. Michael O'Hea, 6. James Cunningham, 7. Hugh Sinclair, 8. Michael Wells, 9. Christian Cage, 10. Jack Grant, 11. Cameron Crawford, 12. Jackson Selby, 13. Jac Cameron, 14. Tom Redden, 15. Mitch Walton.
Manly: 1. Mitch Lewis, 2. David Porecki, 3. John Baranyi, 4. Ed Gower (c), 5. Ryan Melrose, 6. Harry Bergelin, 7. Kotoni Ale, 8. Dylan Sigg, 9. Matt Lucas, 10. Marshall Milroy, 11. Alex Northam, 12. Scott Daruda, 13. Malietoa Hingano, 14. Lui Siale, 15. Shaun Treweek.