Bond University Queensland Country head coach Rod Seib has confirmed his match-day 23 for their Round 4 National Rugby Championship (NRC) clash in Ballarat this Sunday, 22 September.
Six changes have been made to the starting XV from the team that went down to Sydney last weekend at Woollahra Oval.
In the forwards, prop Harry Hoopert returns having missed last weekend’s clash and backrower Dillon Wihongi will start at openside flanker having come off the bench in Sydney
Warwick product Will Dearden, who grew up playing for Scots PGC College and the Warwick Water Rats, will make his NRC and Queensland Country debut starting in the second row alongside Harry Hockings.
In the backs, GPS stalwart Jonathan Kent will also make his NRC and Queensland Country debut on the left wing, while Chris Feauai-Sautia will return at outside centre, having been a late withdrawal from last weekend’s match.
Tom Lucas will also earn his first start of 2019 at fullback, seeing Jock Campbell shift to the right wing.
In the reserves, GPS prop Jethro Felemi, who is capped for Tonga at Test level, will be in line for his NRC and Queensland Country debut, having worked hard to overcome a calf injury sustained during the Hospital Challenge Cup finals.
Reuben Wall returns to the squad as reserve halfback, while Norths centre Conor Chittenden will also be in line for his NRC and Queensland Country debut.
The return of Chittenden comes after he was last named in the match-day 23 for Country’s 2017 clash against Perth Spirit in Ipswich, where he unfortunately didn’t get any game time. Since then Conor has come back to Rugby in 2019 having overcome a broken jaw and a serious head injury at the back end of the 2018 season
Head coach Rod Seib said: “We’ve worked hard this week to address some of the key learnings we took from last weekend’s loss to Sydney.
“We got beaten in the contact zone last weekend, so we’ve been focused on trying to improve our physicality and accuracy around our ball carry and ruck work.
“This weekend the team have the chance to turn the result around and try to find the form that we showed in Round 2 against Canberra.
“As we said last week, one of the key strengths of our squad is depth and we will see a few more players get their opportunity to impress this weekend.
“Will Dearden has come through the NRC U19s Country program to the senior squad this year and will earn his first cap this weekend. A true Country product from Warwick, his selection is fitting.
“Jono Kent will also make his debut in the starting line-up, he has been big for team culture off the field for us so far throughout the NRC campaign and it will be great to see him pull on the jersey this weekend.
“In the reserves, we’ve been waiting to bring Jethro (Felemi) into the squad so his return is timely. He was one of the standout frontrowers throughout the Premier Rugby season so he will help strengthen our prop stocks.
“I’m really happy to give Conor (Chittenden) the opportunity to pull on the Country jersey this weekend. Conor has been one of the most impressive centres in Premier Rugby for the last three-four years but is yet to crack the next level of the game.
“Given the serious nature of the head injury he sustained last year in a skateboarding accident, it was uncertain whether he would play Rugby again so it’s been great to see him work his way back into form for Norths this year and earn selection this weekend.”
Bond University Queensland Country will play the Melbourne Rising at St. Patrick’s College in Ballarat this Sunday, 22 September, kick-off at 1:00pm (AEST). The game will be streamed LIVE via rugby.com.au and Kayo.
Bond University Queensland Country side to play Melbourne Rising:
1. Harry Hoopert - Brothers/Jondaryn
2. Matt Faessler - Brothers/Toowoomba
3. Gavin Luka - Bond University/Gold Coast
4. Will Dearden* - Wests/Warwick
5. Harry Hockings - University of Queensland/Bowen
6. Angus Scott-Young (c) - University of Queensland
7. Dillon Wihongi - Sunnybank
8. Harry Wilson - Brothers/Esk
9. Tate McDermott - University of Queensland/Sunshine Coast
10. Rohan Saifoloi - Brothers
11. Jonathan Kent* - GPS
12. Hamish Stewart - Bond University/Toowoomba
13. Chris Feauai-Sautia - Souths
14. Jock Campbell - University of Queensland/Gold Coast
15. Tom Lucas - Sunnybank/Rockhampton
Reserves
16. Bronson Fotuali'i-Tauakipulu - Wests
17. Jethro Felemi** - GPS
18. Carter Ozanne - Easts
19. Angus Blyth - Bond University/Gold Coast
20. Conor Pritchard - Bond University/Gold Coast
21. Reuben Wall - Brothers
22. Conor Chittenden** - Norths
23. Dan Boardman - Bond University/Gold Coast
*Denotes NRC and Queensland Country debut
**Denotes Potential NRC and Queensland Country debut
