FOUR MAKE STARTING DEBUT TO BUTT HEADS WITH RAMS

Sep 4 • Australia, General News • 1562 Views • Comments Off on FOUR MAKE STARTING DEBUT TO BUTT HEADS WITH RAMS

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)