SPIRIT SHOOTS FOR THE STARS IN JOONDALUP
The Perth Spirit has named their side to take on the Sydney Stars this Sunday at HBF Arena Joondalup including a mix of Super Rugby experienced and local club rugby players.
The Spirit has produced solid performances against quality sides in the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) and will this week be chasing their first home victory of the season.
Palmyra’s Joe Savage, Cottesloe’s Robbie Abel and Perth Bayswater’s Brent Murphy have been strong performers for the Spirit and have maintained their positions at loosehead, hooker and lock respectively.
Savage and Abel will be joined by Tetera Faulkner in the front row while Murphy will line up alongside captain and seasoned Super Rugby campaigner Sam Wykes in the second-row, who will captain the side.
UWA back-rower Richard Hardwick moves from the blindside to openside flank with Western Force heavyweight Brynard Stander taking the number six jersey. Australian Under 20 representative, Ross Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe), makes his return from injury and will pack down at the back of the scrum.
The Spirit will roll out a powerful backline with an abundance of Super Rugby experience to take on the Stars, including the club’s leading point-scorer Zack Holmes (38), who continues at flyhalf while Ian Prior will fill the scrumhalf role.
With the fast pace of the Buildcorp NRC, Marcel Brache and Luke Morahan will bring additional speed to the wings while Kyle Godwin and Junior Rasolea team up in the centres. Dane Haylett-Petty, who was very strong in his last performance against Brisbane City, will again start from fullback.
Perth Spirit coach, Kevin Foote, said his side was looking forward to a match on home soil.
“We are very excited to be returning home after three weeks on the road and the team will be buoyed by having the home support behind us in Joondalup on Sunday,” Foote said.
“We take a lot of pride in playing in front of our supporters. While we had some good passages in our last home performance against Brisbane City, we know we have to sustain that for 80 minutes to get the result we’re after.
“This week we have a number of our Force players returning to the squad as we continue our preparations for next year’s Super Rugby season as well as allowing us to inject some fresh legs into the Spirit.
“Our club players, such as Joe [Savage] and Brent [Murphy], have continued to make the most of their opportunities throughout this competition, and we’re excited about continuing to expose those guys to the next level of rugby as we look to broaden our player base in WA.”
2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship – Week Six
Perth Spirit v Sydney Stars
HBF Arena Joondalup
Sunday, 28 September 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. Richard Hardwick (UWA)
8. Ross Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)
9. Ian Prior (Nedlands)
10. Zack Holmes (Associates)
11. Marcel Brache (Perth Bayswater)
12. Kyle Godwin (Associates)
13. Junior Rasolea (Cottesloe)
14. Luke Morahan (Kalamunda)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)
Reserves
16. Harry Scoble (UWA)
17. Chris Heiberg (Perth Bayswater)
18. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe)
19. Kieran Stringer (Cottesloe)
20. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough)
21. Alex Rovira (Associates)
22. Justin Turner (Associates)
23. Dillyn Leyds (Palmyra)
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