The Perth Spirit is a former rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia, that played in the National Rugby Championship (NRC) from 2014 to 2017, winning the competition in 2016. The team was formed in 2007 to compete in the Australian Rugby Championship (ARC).
The Perth Spirit team was organised and managed by RugbyWA. The high performance programs utilised by the Western Force in Super Rugby were extended to players joining the Spirit from the Force, the Perth Premier Grade competition and the Future Force rugby academy.
The identity of the Perth Spirit remained the same throughout team's participation in the ARC and NRC. The team disbanded when the ARC was discontinued after the first season in 2007 but, after an absence of six years, the national competition was relaunched in 2014 as the NRC, and the Perth Spirit was revived. In 2017, however, the Western Force was excluded from the Super Rugby competition. The reformed RugbyWA then decided to enter the Western Force in the National Rugby Championship, replacing the Perth Spirit for the start of the 2018 season.
History In 2006, after setting up a consultative process culminating in a working session of some 70 delegates from around the country, the Australian Rugby Union announced that a new, eight-team national competition would commence in 2007 to compete for the Australian Rugby Championship (ARC).
Australian Rugby Championship With the announcement of a new national rugby union competition, it was known that one of the foundation clubs would be located in Perth - with three teams in New South Wales, two in Queensland and one each in Canberra and Melbourne making up the inaugural eight.
The Perth team's name - Spirit, along with colours and logo were unveiled in March 2007. Some 20 names were considered for the ARC team, with Spirit being the option finally preferred because it was seen to be identifiable as Western Australian and a good fit with the Force name used by the Super Rugby team. RugbyWA Chief Executive, Peter O’Meara, said:
At the launch of the new team, it was revealed that John Mulvihill would be the head coach of the Spirit for the inaugural season. Mulvihill was also the Super 14 Western Force attack coach. The team's jersey for the ARC was a traditional design with black and gold hoops.
The ARC competition started in August, with the Spirit playing their first home game on the second weekend of August. The Spirit's home games were played at Members Equity Stadium. At the time, the Western Force did not play at Members Equity but at the larger capacity venue of Subiaco Oval. However, Members Equity Stadium was better suited to rugby due to its rectangular configuration. The stadium had a capacity of around 17,000 in 2007. It has since been expanded to hold over 20,000 and, due to another sponsorship deal, is now known as nib Stadium.
The players in the ARC squad adopted an unconventional name of the "Perth Pigs". The team was captained by half back Matt Henjak after he overcame a back injury. Tai McIsaac was the vice-captain. Perth finished third on the league table after the regular season, and played the Central Coast Rays in a semi-final at Gosford. The Rays won the match 20–8.
The Australian Rugby Championship was terminated at the end of 2007 after only one season of competition, with the Australian Rugby Union citing higher costs than budgeted and further projected financial losses. The Perth Spirit team was disbanded with the end of the ARC competition.
National Rugby Championship In December 2013, the ARU announced that the national competition was to be relaunched, with the National Rugby Championship (NRC) commencing in 2014. Expressions of interest were open to any interested parties, with the accepted bids finalised in early 2014.
In 2014, it was announced that the Perth Spirit team would be revived to take part in the National Rugby Championship, and that the original logo and black and gold jersey colours would be retained. For the 2014 NRC season, the Spirit secured Western Australian local business the Property Club as the main jersey sponsor on a three-year deal, and non-bank currency specialist AFEX (Associated Foreign Exchange) as shorts sponsor on a two-year deal.
Western Force assistant coaches David Wessels and Kevin Foote were named as joint head coaches of the Perth Spirit for the 2014 season. Dwayne Nestor and Elwee Prinsloo were named as assistant coaches. For the Spirit's first match, Rory Walton was named as captain from an on-field leadership group which also included Kyle Godwin, Luke Morahan, Ian Prior, Heath Tessmann, and Sam Wykes.
Dwayne Nestor was appointed head coach in 20I6.
2016 NRC Final
Perth Spirit beat the NSW Country Eagles to win the 2016 NRC Final 20–16 at Scully Park.
Colours and logo The Perth Spirit's main colours were black and gold, the traditional colours of Western Australia. The NRC jerseys also had a splash of blue under the collar to symbolise the pathway to the Western Force team. The team's logo featured a stylised black swan, similar to that of the Western Force although on a gold background instead of the Force's blue. The black swan is the state emblem and state bird of Western Australia.
Home grounds Most of the Perth Spirit's home matches were played at the UWA Rugby Club in Mount Claremont. In their earlier seasons matches were also played at other locations across Greater Perth, and a match was also hosted in Adelaide to promote the growth of rugby in South Australia. Venues used in previous seasons include:
City Venue CapacityJoondalupHBF Arena16,000Port Kennedy2,00015,000
Records
Honours National Rugby Championship Champions: 2016 Runners-up: 2014 Playoff appearances: 2017 Horan-Little Shield Season winners: 2017 Australian Rugby Championship Playoff appearances: 2007
Season standings National Rugby Championship {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! style="width:20px;"|Year ! style="width:20px;"|Pos ! style="width:20px;"|Pld ! style="width:20px;"|W ! style="width:20px;"|D ! style="width:20px;"|L ! style="width:20px;"|F ! style="width:20px;"|A ! style="width:25px;"|+/- ! style="width:20px;"|BP ! style="width:20px;"|Pts ! style="width:25em; text-align:left;"| Play-offs |- |2017 |4th | 8 || 4 || 0 || 4 || 269 || 237 || +32 || 4 || 20 |align=left| |- |2016 |3rd | 7 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 250 || 210 || +40 || 2 || 22 |align=left| Grand final win over NSW Country by 20–16 |- |2015 |6th | 8 || 3 || 0 || 5 || 276 || 271 || +5 || 4 || 16 |align=left| Did not compete |- |2014 |4th | 8 || 3 || 0 || 5 || 301 || 259 || +42 || 5 || 17 |align=left| Grand final loss to by 37–26
Australian Rugby Championship {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! style="width:20px;"|Year ! style="width:20px;"|Pos ! style="width:20px;"|Pld ! style="width:20px;"|W ! style="width:20px;"|D ! style="width:20px;"|L ! style="width:20px;"|F ! style="width:20px;"|A ! style="width:25px;"|+/- ! style="width:20px;"|BP ! style="width:20px;"|Pts ! style="width:25em; text-align:left;"| Play-offs |- |2007 |3rd | 8 || 6 || 0 || 2 || 210 || 138 || 72 || 1 || 25 |align=left|
Head coaches 2017: Kevin Foote 2016: Dwayne Nestor 2015: Tai McIsaac 2014: David Wessels and Kevin Foote 2007: John Mulvihill
Captains 2017: Michael Ruru 2016: Heath Tessmann 2015: Heath Tessmann, Ian Prior, Angus Cottrell 2014: Rory Walton, Sam Wykes, Ian Prior 2007: Matt Henjak
Squads
The squad for the 2017 National Rugby Championship season:
Props Jermaine Ainsley Pekahou Cowan Mees Erasmus Tetera Faulkner Beau King Baxter King Shambeckler Vui
Hookers Logan Ede Sama Malolo Tatafu Polota-Nau1 Anaru Rangi
Locks Richie Arnold Adam Coleman1 Ben Grant Matt Philip Loose forwards
Angus Cottrell Richard Hardwick1 Onehunga Havili Kane Koteka Ben McCalman Isi Naisarani
Scrum-halves Michael McDonald Ian Prior Michael Ruru (c)
Fly-halves Peter Grant Nick Jooste Jono Lance Centres Marcel Brache Bill Meakes Chance Peni Sheldon Tawara
Wingers Brendan Owen Curtis Rona James Verity-Amm
Fullbacks Dane Haylett-Petty1 Clay Uyen (c) Denotes team captain, Bold player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.
The following players were named in the Perth Spirit's extended squad for the 2016 National Rugby Championship:Nestor names 26-man Perth Spirit squad
Props Jermaine Ainsley Pekahou Cowan Mees Erasmus Beau King Laione Mulikiha'amea Shambeckler Vui
Hookers Anaru Rangi Harry Scoble Heath Tessmann (c)
Locks Brad Campbell Adam Coleman Grayson Knapp Riley Winter Loose forwards Richard Hardwick Ross Haylett-Petty Kane Koteka Hadleigh May Auega Seumanutafa Brynard Stander
Scrum-halves Ryan Louwrens Ian Prior Michael Ruru
Fly-halves AJ Alatimu Jono Lance Centres Marcel Brache Louie David Ammon Matuauto Bill Meakes Ben Tapuai Eric Vasukicakau
Wingers Onehunga Havilli Semisi Masirewa Luke Morahan James Wepener
Fullbacks Manihera Eden James Verity-Amm (c) Denotes team captain, Bold player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.
The following players were named in the Perth Spirit's extended squad for the 2015 National Rugby Championship: Props Jermaine Ainsley Tetera Faulkner1 Chris Heiberg Ollie Hoskins Francois van Wyk
Hookers Harry Scoble Heath Tessmann (c)
Locks Ross Haylett-Petty Rory Walton Riley Winter Loose forwards Chris Alcock Hayden Anderson Angus Cottrell Adrian Hall Richard Hardwick Kane Koteka Alex Rovira Auege Seumanatafa
Scrum-halves Ian Prior Ryan Louwrens Michael Ruru
Fly-halves Luke Burton Nick Jooste Centres Kyle Godwin1 Maalonga Konelio Ammon Matuauto Junior Rasolea
Wingers Brad Lacey Byron Hutchinson Sevuloni Mocenacagi Onehunga Havili
Fullbacks Albert Nikoro Daley Harper (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.
The following players were named in the Perth Spirit's extended squad for the 2014 National Rugby Championship: Props Pek Cowan1 Tetera Faulkner Chris Heiberg Alec Hepburn Ollie Hoskins Joe Savage Francois van Wyk
Hookers Robbie Abel Nathan Charles1 Harry Scoble Heath Tessmann
Locks Brent Murphy Scott Stevens Kieran Stringer Rory Walton (c) Sam Wykes George Bretag-Norris Loose forwards Richard Hardwick Matt Hodgson1 Kane Koteka Brynard Stander Corey Thomas Ross Haylett-Petty Ben McCalman1 Alex Rovira
Scrum-halves Ian Prior Michael Ruru Justin Turner
Fly-halves Luke Burton Zack Holmes Davis Tavita Centres Marcel Brache Kyle Godwin Ammon Matuauto Junior Rasolea
Wingers Nili Fielea Koiatu Koiatu Brad Lacey Va'a Mailei Luke Morahan
Fullbacks Dane Haylett-Petty Dillyn Leyds (c) Team captain; Bold denotes player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.
Props Pekahou Cowan Gareth Hardy Kieran Longbottom Troy Takiari AJ Whalley
Hookers Luke Holmes Tai McIsaac Ryan Tyrrell
Locks Tom Hockings Sitaleki Timani Rudi Vedelago Luke Doherty Scott Fardy Back row Scott Fava Will Bloem Richard Brown David Pocock
Halfbacks Matt Henjak James Stannard
Flyhalves Scott Daruda Todd Feather Jimmy Hilgendorf Lachlan MacKay Centres Ryan Cross Junior Pelesasa Kane Allen
Wings Ed Jenkins Jackson Mullane Dan Bailey Nick Cummins Haig Sare Ratu Siganiyavi
Fullbacks Cameron Shepherd Luke McLean (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.
References
External links