Perth secure semifinal spot
The nine-tries-to-three bonus point win saw Perth leapfrog Melbourne Rising and the University of Canberra Vikings, and they can secure a finals berth next weekend against the Vikings in Canberra.
Though they started somewhat slowly, the home side were in complete control in the second half, running in six tries after the break, with doubles to backrowers Ben McCalman and Richard Hardwick.
McCalman was superb once again, and may well find himself on a plane to London, joining the Wallabies as injury cover for Sean McMahon.
Brisbane City actually scored the first points of the match when flyhalf Jake McIntyre doubled back behind a ruck and slid through a gap to score next to the posts in the 11th minute and convert himself.
Perth responded through their set piece, however, and a well-executed lineout drive from nearly twenty metres away couldn’t be stopped, hooker Heath Tessmann the beneficiary from the back. Ian Prior’s conversion from out wide levelled the score at 8-8 after 16 minutes.
Both teams played it back and forward nearing the 30-minute mark before Mitch Felsman finished off a City nice passage started by McIntyre, but that was quickly cancelled out when Marcel Brache scored out wide for the Spirit.
Flanker Richard Hardwick crashed over from another line-out drive right on half-time, and Perth led 20-16 at the break.
Brisbane City found themselves in yellow card trouble after the break, with replacement hooker Moli Sooaemalelagi and lock Lukhan Tui sent to the sin-bin within three minutes of each other.
Perth didn’t waste their numerical advantage and jumped out to a 32-16 lead, with Ben McCalman crossing from a line-out drive, and Western Force winger Semisi Masirewa crossing in the corner on his NRC debut.
McCalman controlled the scrum nicely to push over and score his second on the hour, but Ian Prior was not having a happy time from the kicking tee, sending a fifth conversion attempt wide for the day.
The cracks were really opening up in the City defence by the 64th minute, with Hardwick strolling through way more easily than he should have. Manihera Eden took over the kicking and added the extras, to extend Perth’s lead to 46-16.
City were the next to score, with centre Brad Lacey scoring against his old side, but they fluffed the restart and immediately found themselves back under the pump.
Eden crossed in the corner himself in the closing minutes, beautifully finishing off a nice fend and line break from Western Force signing Billy Meakes, and lock Ross Haylett-Petty put the cherry on top of the bonus point win, crossing for the Spirit’s ninth try right on full-time.
Scores and Scorers
Perth Spirit 60-22 Brisbane City
Scorers:
Perth Spirit
Tries: B McCalman 2, R Hardwick 2 H Tessmann, M Brache, S Masirewa, M Eden, R Haylett-Petty
Cons: I Prior, M Eden, A.J Alatimu
Brisbane City
Tries: J McIntyre, M Felsman, B Lacey
Cons: J McIntyre 2
Melbourne Rising 30-68 Western Sydney Rams
Scorers:
Melbourne Rising
Tries: S Tuipulotu 2, M Snowden, P Leafa
Cons: J Debreczeni 3
Western Sydney Rams
Tries: T Viiga 3, T Sopoaga, P Asquith, M Walton, D Lolohea, A Nikoro, J Tuapou
Cons: P Asquith 7
Queensland Country 40-38 NSW Country Eagles
Scorers:
Queensland Country
Tries: A Scott-Young, T Postal, A Casey, D Paia'aua 2, S Fa'agase
Cons: M Mason 2
NSW Country Eagles
Tries: T Hill 2, C Kagiassis, L Holmes, K Godwin
Cons: A Deegan 4
Sydney Rays 58-14 UC Vikings
Scorers:
Sydney Rays:
Tries:M Wells, D Fitzpatrick 2, H Jones, J Turner 2, A Hall, H Jones
Cons: M Lucas 5
UC Vikings
Tries: J Smiler, C McInerney
Con: N Jooste
NRC Round Seven fixtures:
Saturday, October 8
Western Sydney Rams v NSW Country Eagles, Concord Oval Stadium, Sydney – Kick-off: 13.00, 03.00 GMT
UC Vikings v Perth Spirit, Viking Park, Canberra – Kick-off: 15.00; 05.00 GMT
Sunday, October 9
Melbourne Rising v Sydney Rays, Harlequin Oval – Kick-off: 13.00; 03.00 GMT
Brisbane City v Melbourne Rising, Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane – Kick-off: 15.00; 05.00 GMT
*In the NRC all goals are worth two and all tries are worth six
