RUGBY union fans could be treated to one of the best National Rugby Championship matches this season when the competition comes to Orange on Saturday.
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Wade Park will host a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday afternoon when competition leaders the Melbourne Rising go up against hosts the NSW Country Eagles.
“It worked out well,” Eagles head coach Darren Coleman said of Saturday’s blockbuster.
“We’re excited. Melbourne are a very strong team. They’re the frontrunners so far this season with their four bonus-point wins.
“The [Eagles] boys have played with spirit and that’s what we plan to do again this weekend.”
For the first time this season, the Eagles will have to bounce back from a loss after they went down to Brisbane City 34-26 in Lismore on Sunday.
Coleman admitted it was disappointing to lose, but he wasn’t concerned by the defeat.
“We were going to have a loss eventually. A couple of their [Queensland] Reds star players really stepped up,” he explained.
“The boys fought back though. We were down 29-5 at one stage. We scored towards the end and then the siren went. A little bit more time and I think we might have won it.”
For those who haven’t followed the NRC yet, Coleman said Saturday’s game would be a treat for rugby fans.
It is a step down from Super Rugby but some big-name players could still run onto Wade Park.
“It’s really high-quality rugby,” Coleman said.
“In [last] Sunday’s game, there was something like 22 Super Rugby-experienced players out there. This weekend there will be even more.
“The Melbourne Rising, I think, have around 15 players with Super Rugby experience and then we’ve got eight or nine. With that calibre of player, it’s going to be a great game.”
Adding to what should be an exciting game are a number of law variations designed to create more attacking rugby.
One of the most significant is conversions being worth three points and penalty goals two.
“You’re going for tries, so it’s much more attacking rugby,” Coleman explained.
“The ball is in play a lot more, so in the last 20 minutes when fatigue is starting to set in, it gets quite hectic.”
The Eagles have training sessions today, Thursday and Friday before arriving in Orange on Friday afternoon.
Saturday’s main game will kick-off at 3pm at Wade Park. Tickets are available online at nswcountryeagles.com/tickets/.
