Perth Spirit

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).

Perth Spirit
Road Safety Perth Spirit
Founded2007
Disbanded2018 pre-season (merged with Western Force)
LocationPerth, Western Australia
Ground(s)UWA Rugby Park
League(s)NRC, ARC
2016Champions
1st kit
2nd kit
Spirit's Brynard Stander runs the ball against Kyle Godwin of NSW Country in 2016.

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,[1] 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.[2]

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.[3] 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.

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).[4]

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.[5] RugbyWA Chief Executive, Peter O’Meara, said:
Perth Spirit's ARC kit and logo in 2007.

Just as Force taps into the natural elements that have shaped WA, the word Spirit is strong, powerful and dynamic, and reflects the independent, open-minded and entrepreneurial way West Aussies approach things.

— Peter O’Meara, Perth Spirit launch, 21 March 2007.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8] The Perth Spirit team was disbanded with the end of the ARC competition.

National Rugby Championship
Spirit's main and alternate kits 2014–15.

In December 2013, the ARU announced that the national competition was to be relaunched, with the National Rugby Championship (NRC) commencing in 2014.[9] Expressions of interest were open to any interested parties, with the accepted bids finalised in early 2014.[10]

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.[11] 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.[3][12]

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.[13] 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.[14][15]

Dwayne Nestor was appointed head coach in 20I6.[16]

2016 NRC Final

Perth Spirit beat the NSW Country Eagles to win the 2016 NRC Final 20–16 at Scully Park.

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.[17] Venues used in previous seasons include:

City   Venue   Capacity
Joondalup HBF Arena 16,000
Port Kennedy Rockingham RUC 2,000
Adelaide, S.A. Thebarton Oval 15,000

Records

Honours

Season standings

National Rugby Championship

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts   Play-offs
2017 4th 8404269237+32420   Semi-final loss to Canberra Vikings by 40–35
2016 3rd 7502250210+40222   Grand final win over NSW Country by 20–16
2015 6th 8305276271+5416   Did not compete
2014 4th 8305301259+42517   Grand final loss to Brisbane City by 37–26

Australian Rugby Championship

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts   Play-offs
2007 3rd 860221013872125   Semi-final loss to Central Coast Rays by 27–19

Head coaches

Captains

Squads
2017 Perth Spirit squad – NRC

The squad for the 2017 National Rugby Championship season:[20]

 

Props

Hookers

Locks

  

Loose Forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

  

Centres

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.

2016 Perth Spirit squad – NRC

The following players were named in the Perth Spirit's extended squad for the 2016 National Rugby Championship:[21]

 

Props

Hookers

Locks

  

Loose Forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

  

Centres

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.

2015 Perth Spirit squad – NRC

The following players were named in the Perth Spirit's extended squad for the 2015 National Rugby Championship:[22]

 

Props

Hookers

Locks

  

Loose Forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

  

Centres

Wingers

  • Brad Lacey
  • Byron Hutchinson
  • Sevuloni Mocenacagi
  • Onehunga Havili

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.

2014 Perth Spirit squad – NRC

The following players were named in the Perth Spirit's extended squad for the 2014 National Rugby Championship:[23][24][25]

 

Props

Hookers

Locks

  

Loose Forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

  

Centres

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c) Team captain; Bold denotes player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.

2007 Perth Spirit squad – ARC

 

Props

Hookers

Locks

  

Back row

Halfbacks

Flyhalves

  

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player internationally capped at the time, 1 denotes allocated national player additional to the squad.

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References
  1. "Australia relaunches National Rugby Championship". rugbyweek.com. 24 March 2014. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  2. "NRC teams spread their wings in 2018". Rugby Australia. 4 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  3. G, Elise (11 August 2014). "Perth Spirit jersey unveiled" (Press release). Rugby WA. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  4. "2006 Annual Report: Rugby services" (PDF). Australian Rugby Union. 31 May 2006. p. 47. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  5. "RugbyWA Launches Perth Spirit For New Competition". rugbywa.com.au. 21 March 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2007.
  6. "Members Equity Stadium". austadiums.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2007.
  7. "ET Perth Spirit Squad Announced For Inaugural National Competition". Rugby WA. 19 July 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  8. "ARU pull plug on Australian Rugby Championship". ESPN Scrum. 18 December 2007. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  9. Orme, Steve (10 December 2013). "ARU unveils new national rugby championship for 2014". Sportal. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  10. "National Rugby Championship 2014: Expresions of Interest" (PDF). Australian Rugby. 11 December 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 February 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  11. "Perth Spirit returns for National Rugby Championship". westernforce.com.au. 24 March 2014. Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  12. "Spirit teams up with WA-based commercial partners" (Press release). Rugby WA. 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 25 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  13. "Spirit unveils coaching squad for Buildcorp NRC" (Press release). RugbyWA. 5 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  14. "Spirit side named to raid Vikings". RugbyWA. 21 August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  15. "Spirit names Standards Group for Buildcorp NRC". RugbyWA. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  16. Smith, Fraser (25 July 2016). "Local talent set for Perth Spirit call up". RugbyWA. Archived from the original on 25 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  17. "Spirit hosts games across Perth in inaugural NRC". RugbyWA. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  18. "Kevin Foote appointed Road Safety Perth Spirit head coach". RugbyWA. 2 August 2017. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  19. Berrie, David (14 August 2015). "Tessmann, Prior and Cottrell to lead Perth Spirit". RugbyWA. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  20. "Spirit squad charged with defending title". Australian Rugby. 17 August 2017. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  21. Nestor names 26-man Perth Spirit squad
  22. "Perth Spirit squad announcement for 2015 Buildcorp NRC season". RugbyWA. 4 August 2015. Archived from the original on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  23. "Spirit finds mix of Force & locals for Buildcorp NRC" (Press release). RugbyWA. 31 July 2014. Archived from the original on 31 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  24. "Qantas Wallabies player alignments unveiled for 2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship". Australian Rugby. 21 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  25. "Pek Cowan will now be aligned with the Perth Spirit". RugbyWA. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 31 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
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