SPIRIT TEAM FOR CHAMPIONSHIP CHARGE IN TAMWORTH

Oct 21 • General News, International • 1108 Views • Comments Off on SPIRIT TEAM FOR CHAMPIONSHIP CHARGE IN TAMWORTH

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The Perth Spirit welcome back star flyhalf Jono Lance in the only change to the starting XV for Saturday’s 2016 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship Grand Final against the NSW Country Eagles in Tamworth on Saturday, 22 October.

In the only other inclusion to the side that took down the Sydney Rays in last weekend’s semi-final, young gun back rower Kane Koteka returns to the bench after overcoming a concussion suffered earlier in the season. AJ Alatimu and Russell Burges are the unlucky two that make way for the competition decider.

Heading into their second grand final in the last three season the Perth Spirit side will feature seven players that ran out in the 2014 Grand Final against Brisbane City, including stalwart Pek Cowan and speedsters Luke Morahan and Marcel Brache.

Spirit Head Coach Dwayne Nestor says the team is embracing the opportunity and knows what they have to do to get the job done.

“The boys are very upbeat,” he said. “I said to them last night that this looks like a team that wants to win a grand final and there is a really strong sense of self belief which our form over the last few weeks has built.”

“If we can continue the momentum of our set-piece, both in the lineout and especially at scrum time it will give us a really good platform to play from.

“I think we have shown that when we use the ball and let it do the work for us we get a lot of reward for that. In order for us to do that we will have to be really competitive at the breakdown and strong in support.

“On the defensive side we will look to stop their go forward, get up in their face to hit them hard and hit them early.”

The forward pack remains untouched with loosehead prop Pek Cowan and skipper Heath Tessmann teaming up with Jermaine Ainsley in the front row after the young gun put in his strongest performance of the season in last week’s semi-final.

Locks Kieran Stringer and Onehunga Havili have formed a strong combination this season that they will look to carry to Scully Park.

The formidable backrow of Ross Haylett-Petty, Richard Hardwick and Brynard Stander round out the starting pack.

In the halves, Ryan Louwrens will look to provide quality quick ball to Jono Lance with the former NSW Country Eagle returning to the No.10 jersey after missing the semi-final with a hamstring strain.

The potent centre combination of Ben Tapuai and Bill Meakes will look to punch holes in the NSW Country Eagles defensive line when they run on at inside and outside centre respectively.

In the back three, Semisi Masirewa and Marcel Brache will look to burn NSW Country down the wings with Luke Morahan to line up at fullback.

In the reserves, Ian Prior will provide huge boost off the bench after a man of the man effort in the semi-final while Kane Koteka, Anaru Rangi and Shambeckler Vui will look to make their impact felt when called upon.

The Perth Spirit will take on the NSW Country Eagles for the right to call themselves 2016 Buildcorp NRC Champions at Scully Park in Tamworth at 4:45PM AWST on Saturday, 22 October with the match to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 2 (502).

Buildcorp NRC- Grand Final
Perth Spirit vs NSW Country Eagles
Saturday, 22 October
Scully Park, NSW
Kick-off: 4:45PM AWST
Broadcast: Fox Sports 2 (502)

#	NAME
1	PEK COWAN (Wests Scarborough)
2	HEATH TESSMANN (Nedlands)
3	JERMAINE AINSLEY (Nedlands)
4	KIERAN STRINGER (Cottesloe)
5	ONEHUNGA HAVILLI (Palmyra)
6	ROSS HAYLETT-PETTY (Cottesloe)
7	RICHARD HARDWICK (UWA)
8	BRYNARD STANDER (Nedlands)
9	RYAN LOUWRENS (Cottesloe)
10	JONO LANCE (Associates)
11	SEMISI MASIREWA (Wests Scarborough)
12	BEN TAPUAI (Wanneroo)
13	BILLY MEAKES (TBC)
14	MARCEL BRACHE (Perth Bayswater)
15	LUKE MORAHAN (Kalamunda)
16	ANARU RANGI (Nedlands)
17	LAIONE MULIKIHAAMEA (Joondalup)
18	SHAMBECKLER VUI (UWA)
19	GRAYSON KNAPP(Nedlands)
20	KANE KOTEKA (Wests Scarborough)
21	MICHAEL RURU (Nedlands)
22	IAN PRIOR (Nedlands)
23	ERIC VASUKICAKAU (Cottesloe)