2016 BUILDCORP NRC: ROUND 5 REVIEW
The Buildcorp National Rugby Championship’s first ever double-header produced produced 22 tries at Concord Oval, amidst a Pacific Island rugby tournament contested by NSW Samoa, NSW Tonga, NSW Fiji and NSW Maori. Interstate in Canberra and Brisbane, the Melbourne Rising and Sydney Rays overcame see-sawing scorelines to emerge as victors in Round 5.
After their home game in Orange had to be relocated due to torrential rain, NSW Country Eagles’ bonus point 48-24 win over Perth Spirit at Concord Oval in Sydney secured their place in the finals. A hat-trick to Country’s Jake Gordon sealed the victory against their admirable West Coast opponents who consistently threatened in attack.
In the biggest comeback in NRC history, the Rams were handed their first win of 2016 in front of an elated home crowd when successive scrum penalties against Queensland Country after the final siren forced referee Amy Perrett to award a penalty try. The Rams’ forwards were crucial in their 38-20 victory with their monster scrum proving the difference late in the game, despite Brad Thorn packing down opposite them.
University of Canberra Vikings’ 60-44 defeat to Melbourne Rising has seen them lose the Horan-Little Shield. Three tries to Rising captain Tom English set the stage for the visitors’ victory, despite the Vikings laying down six tries, including a hat-trick to Wallaby-capped Josh Mann-Rea.
The Sydney Rays sit second in the ladder after their 38-32 triumph at Ballymore, with Brisbane City’s heartbreaking loss leaving the valiant reigning champions with a bonus point for their efforts. After promising Brisbane youngster Moses Sorovi opened the scoring while standing in for Nick Frisby, it was Irae Simone who spearheaded the Rays’ revival with two crucial tries.
2016 Buildcorp NRC standings after Round 5:
NSW Country Eagles 23 points
Macquarie University Sydney Rays 18 points
Melbourne Rising 15 points
UC Vikings 14 points
Perth Spirit 13 points
Western Sydney Rams 7 points
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City 4 points
Bond University Queensland Country 2 points
NSW Country Eagles v Perth Spirit, Concord Oval, Sydney, 1.00pm, Saturday 24 September
NSW COUNTRY EAGLES 48 (Tries: J. Gordon 3, R. Robinson, K. Godwin, N. Hanigan; Cons: T. Adams 6/6) def PERTH SPIRIT 24 (Tries: B. Tapuai, M, Eden, A. Matuauto; Cons: J. Lance 3/3)
Western Sydney Rams v Bond University Queensland Country, Concord Oval, Sydney, 3.00pm, Saturday 24 September
WESTERN SYDNEY RAMS 50 (Tries: L. Smart 2, T. Viiga, P. Asquith, B. Paenga-Amosa, A. Latunipulu, Penalty try; Cons: P. Asquith 4/7) def QUEENSLAND COUNTRY 46 (Tries: L. McNamara, T. Banks, T. Pincus, A. Casey, A, Scott-Young, M. Jones; Cons: M. Mason 5/6)
UC Vikings v Melbourne Rising, Viking Park, Canberra, 1.00pm, Sunday 25 September
MELBOURNE RISING 60 (Tries: T. English 3, L. Johansson 2, S. Jeffries, J. Debreczeni, A. Toolis, S. Tuipulotu; Cons: J. Debreczeni 3/9) def UNI OF CANBERRA 44 (Tries: J. Mann-Rea 3, T. Staniforth, S. Carter, I. Thompson; Cons: I. Thompson 4/6)
McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City v Macquarie University Sydney Rays, Ballymore, Brisbane, 3.00pm, Sunday 25 September
SYDNEY RAYS 38 (Tries: I. Simone 2, J. Dempsey, J. Turner, C. Alcock; Cons: M. Lucas 3/4, A. Sinclair 1/1) def BRISBANE CITY 32 (Tries: M. Sorovi, J. McIntyre. L. Tui, B. Lacey, C. Tupou; Cons: J. McIntyre 1/5)
Round 6 Fixtures:
1.00pm, Saturday 1 October, Queensland Country v NSW Country Eagles, Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba
3.00pm, Saturday 1 October, Sydney Rays v Canberra Vikings, Pittwater Park
2.00pm, Sunday 2 October, Perth Spirit v Brisbane City, UWA Sports Park
3.00pm, Sunday 2 October, Melbourne Rising v Western Sydney Rams, Harlequins Oval
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