LANCE RETURNS FOR CANBERRA CLASH

Oct 6 • General News, International • 1333 Views • Comments Off on LANCE RETURNS FOR CANBERRA CLASH

The Perth Spirit will be boosted by the return of star flyhalf Jono Lance for Saturday’s crucial Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) clash with the UC Vikings in Canberra.

In further changes to the side, young gun Ross Haylett-Petty shifts to his favoured position at blindside flanker while dynamic Cottesloe winger Eric Vasukicakau will start on the left wing after being rested last round.

Sitting third on the ladder the men from the west can secure a semi-finals position with a victory at Viking Park and Head Coach Dwayne Nestor says the Spirit will have to do the simple things right to get the result.

“The main thing is that we need to make sure our defence is solid and we can maintain pressure on them,” he said. “We are confident in our attack and that we will score enough points to win if we defend well.”

Nestor says the Viking’s 44-point loss to the Sydney Rays won’t feature in his side’s thinking heading into the match.

“We won’t be taking any notice of their result last week. They have picked a quality side and we know they will be motivated to win. It is going to be a big challenge for us.”

In the front row, Joondalup loosehead prop Lainone Mulikhaamea will link up with skipper Heath Tessmann while Jermaine Ainsley comes in at tighthead for his first start since Round One.

In the second row, Palmyra and Future Force Foundation product Onehunga Havili has been recalled to the starting side to link up with Cottesloe’s Kieran Stringer.

In the halves, Ian Prior moves back to scrumhalf with Lance to spark the Spirit attack at first receiver.

Ben Tapuai and Bill Meakes will look to take on the Viking’s defence and create scoring opportunities after strong performances in the centres last weekend.

Rounding out the starting side, Eric Vasukicakau and Marcel Brache will man the wings with Palmyra’s Manihera Eden again given the nod at fullback.

In the reserves, Shambeckler Vui and Ryan Louwrens will look to break the game open when called upon while Semisi Masirewa will be keen to keep his strong form rolling after scoring a try in his Buildcorp NRC debut last weekend.

The Spirit kick-off in Canberra at 12:00PM AWST with the match to be live streamed HERE.

Buildcorp NRC – Round Seven

UC Vikings vs Perth Spirit

Saturday, 8 October

Viking Park, Canberra

Kick-off: 12:00PM AWST

#	NAME
1	PEK COWAN
2	HEATH TESSMANN
3	JERMAINE AINSLEY
4	KIERAN STRINGER
5	ONEHUNGA HAVILLI
6	ROSS HAYLETT-PETTY
7	RICHARD HARDWICK
8	BRYNARD STANDER
9	IAN PRIOR
10	JONO LANCE
11	ERIC VASUKICAKAU
12	BEN TAPUAI
13	BILLY MEAKES
14	MARCEL BRACHE
15	MANIHERA EDEN
16	ANARU RANGI
17	LAIONE MULIKIHAAMEA
18	SHAMBECKLER VUI
19	GRAYSON KNAPP
20	MICHAEL RURU
21	RYAN LOUWRENS
22	AJ ALATIMU
23	SEMISI MASIREWA