SPIRIT SIDE NAMED TO SWIM WITH RAYS
The Perth Spirit have made three changes to the starting XV that took down the Melbourne Rising in Round One for the team’s first away fixture of the season against the Sydney Rays at North Sydney Oval on Friday night.
Head Coach Dwayne Nestor has reshuffled the starting front row and left the backline unchanged for what is sure to be an exciting Round Two contest against a formidable Rays outfit.
Nestor says the team is aiming to build on the momentum gained last week and looking forward to the challenge the Rays pose.
“We can take a fair bit from last week into this game,” he said. “In terms of positives, the boys started to use the ball really well in the second half, we started winning the collisions and earning the right to offload.”
“In terms of things to work on the scrum is one thing and hopefully a few changes we have made this week will help us improve there and we will just focus on the things we can control and work towards our goals.”
Speaking on the unchanged backline Nestor says every member of the backline warranted selection following strong performances in Round One and expects the backline battle to be key on Friday night.
“I think a lot of the backs had really good games. Billy Meakes was awesome, Ryan Louwrens and Jono Lance both had good games, Ben Tapuai is really excited to be playing good rugby and then the club guys, Eric Vasukicakau and Manihera Eden were really good on debut.”
“From watching the Rays last week they seem to play a similar style to us. They try to use the ball and the width of the field really well so I think we could be in for a really exciting game.”
The Spirit will field a new look front-row with Western Force hooker Anaru Rangi named to start after missing the opening round while Joondalup’s Laione Mulikihaamea and UWA’s Shambeckler Vui will make their run-on debuts after impressing off the bench last weekend.
The second row will again be an all Pindan Premier Grade duo with Cottesloe captain Kieran Stringer linking up with Grayson Knapp of Nedlands.
The backrow also remains unchanged with Western Force flanker Brynard Stander manning the blindside, Richard Hardwick at openside and Future Force Foundation product Onehunga Havili in the No.8 jersey.
Scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens will look to fine tune his partnership with flyhalf Jono Lance, who will once again captain the side after a ‘Man of the Match’ effort in the season opener.
In midfield, Ben Tapuai and Bill Meakes will start at No.12 and No.13 respectively after working strongly together in their first official match as a centre combination.
In the back three, Luke Morahan will be aiming to continue his try scoring ways after a brace last week, Cottesloe flyer Eric Vasukicakau has been rewarded with another start on the wing and Palmyra’s Manihera Eden rounds out the starting side at fullback.
In the reserves, Kalamunda prop Beau King has been named for a potential Buildcorp NRC debut and fellow Bull, Auega Seumanutafa comes into the side for Kane Koteka who will miss the match with concussion. Strike weapons Ammon Matuauto and Michael Ruru will be ready to influence the game when called upon after providing a good impact last week.
Buildcorp NRC – Round Two
Sydney Rays vs Perth Spirit
Friday, 2 September
Kick-off 4:30PM AWST
North Sydney Oval, Sydney
Live Stream Available HERE
| # | NAME |
| 1 | LAIONE MULIKIHAAMEA (Joondalup) |
| 2 | ANARU RANGI (Nedlands) |
| 3 | SHAMBECKLER VUI (UWA) |
| 4 | KIERAN STRINGER (Cottesloe) |
| 5 | GRAYSON KNAPP (Nedlands) |
| 6 | BRYNARD STANDER (Nedlands) |
| 7 | RICHARD HARDWICK (UWA) |
| 8 | ONEHUNGA HAVILI (Palmyra) |
| 9 | RYAN LOUWRENS (Cottesloe) |
| 10 | JONO LANCE (c) (Associates) |
| 11 | ERIC VASUKICAKAU (Cottesloe) |
| 12 | BEN TAPUAI (Wanneroo) |
| 13 | BILLY MEAKES (TBC) |
| 14 | LUKE MORAHAN (Kalamunda) |
| 15 | MANIHERA EDEN (Palmyra) |
| 16 | HARRY SCOBLE (UWA) |
| 17 | MEES ERASMUS (Palmyra) |
| 18 | BEAU KING (Kalamunda)* |
| 19 | AUEGA SEUMANUTAFA (Kalamunda) |
| 20 | HADLEIGH MAY (Cottesloe) |
| 21 | MICHAEL RURU (Nedlands) |
| 22 | AJ ALATIMU (Wests Scarborough) |
| 23 | AMMON MATUAUTO (Nedlands) |
*Denotes possible Buildcorp NRC Debut
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