The University of Canberra Vikings have made a number of changes to the side for Saturday’s Buildcorp National Rugby Championship match against the Perth Spirit.
There are nine changes to the 23-man side from the one that defeated the Greater Sydney Rams 58-26 last week at Viking Park.
Three players, Dean Oakman-Hunt, Frankie Fainifo and Aidan Toua will make their starting debut for the UC Vikings while Albert Anae, Gareth Clouston and Tyrel Lomax will be making their NRC debut for the side from the bench.
For Anae, it will be his first match on Australian soil since linking with the Brumbies and UC Vikings from Italian club Benetton Treviso. For Clouston, it will be a chance to impress after training with the UC Vikings in 2014 and 2015 and captaining his club side Tuggeranong to this year’s John I Dent Cup Grand Final.
As for Lomax, the match will be his first in the NRC. The son of former Canberra Raiders hard-man John Lomax represented the Australian U20 side earlier this year and has impressed in his two outings for the ACT Griffins in 2015, crossing for two tries.
The UC Vikings currently sit in third on the competition ladder with two wins and two bonus points to start the season.
The Vikings take on the Perth Spirit at the University of WA on Saturday at 3:30pm (WA time).
Perth Spirit v UC Vikings, Saturday 12 September 2015
Canberra Vikings
1. Allan Alaalatoa
2.Robbie Abel
3.Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin
4.Jordan Smiler
5. Blake Enever
6.Dean Oakman-Hunt
7.Jarrad Butler (c)
8.Ita Vaea
9.Joe Powell
10. Rodney Iona
11. Lausii Taliauli
12. James Dargaville
13. Nigel Ah Wong
14.Francis Fainifo
15. Aidan Toua
RESERVES
16. Albert Anae
17. Sione Taula
18. Tyrel Lomax
19. Rowan Perry
20. Gareth Clouston
21. Brent Hamlin
22. Mitch Third
23. Jerome Niumata
Hard running back rower Angus Cottrell, will captain the Perth Spirit for the first time this year in the round four clash against the UC Canberra Vikings at McGillivray Oval on Saturday, 12 September.
The Perth based team is still trying for their first win of the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) season and have their work cut out for them, with the Vikings sitting second on the table after back-to-back wins.
Perth Spirit
1. Francois van Wyk
2. Anaru Rangi
3. Tetera Faulkner
4. Adrian Hall
5. Ross Haylett-Petty
6. Alex Rovira
7. Kane Koteka
8. Angus Cottrell (C)
9. Ryan Louwrens
10. Luke Burton
11. Brad Lacey
12. Solomoni Rasolea
13. Ammon Matuauto
14. Maalonga Konelio
15. Daley Harper
Reserves
16. Conan Houkamau
17. Joe Savage
18. Oliver Hoskins
19. Riley Winter
20. Auega Seumanutafa
21. Michael Ruru
22. Nick Jooste
23. Davis Tavita
