SPIRIT READY TO CLASH WITH COUNTRY

Oct 2 • Australia, General News, National • 2001 Views • Comments Off on SPIRIT READY TO CLASH WITH COUNTRY

The Perth Spirit will chase back-to-back victories to keep their finals hopes alive this Saturday when they host Queensland Country at Lark Hills Sports Complex, Rockingham in Round Seven of the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC).

The Spirit has made four changes to the starting XV that defeated the Sydney Stars, 63-21, last week at HBF Arena Joondalup.

Wests Scarborough’s Kane Koteka and Associates’ Al Rovira have been elevated to the back row from the bench while there is a shuffle in the centres with Kyle Godwin moving to the outside and Luke Burton returning to the side in the No. 12 jersey.

Christian Joubert (UWA) is a new addition to the bench along with Corey Thomas (UWA) and Ammon Matuauto (Associates), while UWA’s Richard Hardwick has traded places with Rovira. Joubert has won the Pindan Premier Grade Top Try-Scorer for the past two years running and is set to make his NRC debut on Saturday.

David Wessels, coach of the Perth Spirit, said the team is looking to back up their form from last week.

“We were obviously very pleased with our result against the Stars that came off the back of continued improvement in the effort and focus shown in our preparation and it was demonstrated in our effective game management,” he said.

“This week our focus is to back that up again and that will come from our attitude and decision-making on the field on Saturday afternoon.

“We got off to a bit of a slow start last week, letting in two early tries, but the commitment to turn that momentum and score nine consecutive tries was a credit to how hard this team work for each other.”

2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Week Seven
Perth Spirit v Queensland Country
Lark Hill Sportsplex, Rockingham
Saturday, 4 October 2014
Kick-off: 3.30pm (local)

1. Joe Savage (Palmyra)
2. Robbie Abel (Cottesloe)
3. Tetera Faulkner (Wanneroo)
4. Sam Wykes (c) (Wests Scarborough)
5. Brent Murphy (Perth Bayswater)
6. Brynard Stander (Nedlands)
7. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough)
8. Al Rovira (Associates)
9. Ian Prior (Nedlands)
10. Zack Holmes (Associates)
11. Marcel Brache (Perth Bayswater)
12. Luke Burton (UWA)
13. Kyle Godwin (Associates)
14. Luke Morahan (Kalamunda)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)

Reserves
16. Harry Scoble (UWA)
17. Chris Heiberg (Perth Bayswater)
18. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe)
19. Corey Thomas (UWA)
20. Richard Hardwick (UWA)
21. Justin Turner (Associates)
22. Ammon Matuauto (Associates)
23. Christian Joubert (UWA)