2017 National Rugby Championship

The 2017 National Rugby Championship was the fourth season of Australia's National Rugby Championship. It involved nine professional rugby union teams, one more than the previous year, with eight teams from Australia and one team from Fiji.

2017 National Rugby Championship
Date	2 September – 11 November
Champions	Queensland Country (1st title)
Runners-up	Canberra Vikings
Matches played	39
Attendance	78,500 (average 2,013 per match)
Highest attendance	8,000 (Fijian Drua vs. Perth Spirit)
Official website
www.rugby.com.au/competitions/nrc
← 2016 2018 →

The two leading teams in the regular season, Canberra Vikings and Queensland Country, went on to play in the championship final. The deciding match, played at Viking Park in Canberra, was won 42–28 by Queensland Country to claim their first NRC title.^[1]

Teams

A major change made for the 2017 season was the inclusion of the Fijian Drua in the competition. Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama met with the Australian Rugby Union, and World Rugby earlier in the year about establishing a pathway for developing Fijian rugby players. World Rugby financed the Fijian Drua.^[2]

The nine teams for the season included three from New South Wales, two from Queensland, and one each from Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Western Australia, and Fiji:

Region	Team	Coach(es)	Captain(s)	Refs
FJI	Fijian Drua	Senirusi Seruvakula	John Stewart	[3][4]
ACT	Canberra Vikings	Tim Sampson	Tom Cusack	[5]
NSW	NSW Country Eagles	Darren Coleman	Paddy Ryan	[6]
	Greater Sydney Rams	John Manenti	Jed Holloway	[7][8]
Sydney Rays	Julian Huxley	Damien Fitzpatrick	[9][10]
QLD	Brisbane City	Mick Heenan	Andrew Ready	[11][12]
	Queensland Country	Brad Thorn	Duncan Paia'aua	[13][14]
VIC	Melbourne Rising	Zane Hilton	Steve Cummins	[15][16]
WA	Perth Spirit	Kevin Foote	Michael Ruru	[17][18]

Home match venues scheduled for the 2017 NRC season:

Region	Team	Match Venue	Capacity	City
FJI	Fijian Drua	Churchill Park	18,000	Lautoka
		Lawaqa Park	12,000	Sigatoka
		National Stadium	15,000	Suva
ACT	Canberra Vikings	Viking Park	8,000	Canberra
NSW	NSW Country Eagles	Bellevue Oval	3,000	Armidale
		Simon Poidevin Oval	3,000	Goulburn
		Wade Park	8,000	Orange
		Scully Park	11,000	Tamworth
	Greater Sydney Rams	TG Millner Field	8,000	Sydney
	Sydney Rays	Macquarie University	3,000
		Pittwater Park	10,000
QLD	Brisbane City	Ballymore	18,000	Brisbane
		UQ Rugby Club	3,000
		Wests Bulldogs	3,000
	Queensland Country	Bond University, Gold Coast	5,000	Gold Coast
		North Ipswich Reserve	5,500	Ipswich
		Noosa Dolphins Club	3,000	Noosa
		Sports Ground	9,000	Toowoomba
VIC	Melbourne Rising	Holmesglen Reserve	3,000	Melbourne
		Frankston Park	8,000
WA	Perth Spirit	UWA Rugby Club	4,000	Perth

Television coverage and streaming

Two of the NRC matches each weekend were broadcast live via Fox Sports, with the remaining matches shown on the Fox Sports streaming platform.^[19] Discussion of the NRC competition was included on Fox Sports' review show NRC Extra Time on Monday nights, and the Kick & Chase program on Tuesday evenings.

Experimental Law Variations

The trialed changes to the point scoring system adopted in previous years were not continued for the 2017 NRC season, and scoring reverted to the standard values of five points for a try, two for a conversion and three for a penalty or drop goal.^[20]

The remaining law variations used in 2016 were retained for the 2017 season.^[21] Also adopted were World Rugby's six amendments to the program of trial laws for 2017,^[20] relating to the tackle/ruck (Law 15.4 (c), 16, and 16.4 variations) and scrum (Law 20, 20.5 (d), and 20.9 (b) variations).^[22][23]

NRC Law Variations 2017

Existing Law of the Game [24]	Variation
Law 5.7(e) If time expires and the ball is not dead, or an awarded scrum or lineout has not been completed, the referee allows play to continue until the next time that the ball becomes dead. The ball becomes dead when the referee would have awarded a scrum, lineout, an option to the non-infringing team, drop out or after a conversion or successful penalty kick at goal. If a scrum has to be reset, the scrum has not been completed. If time expires and a mark, free kick or penalty kick is then awarded, the referee allows play to continue.	Non-offending team is allowed to kick the ball into touch after being awarded a penalty kick, which has been blown after time expires, and the lineout will take place.
Law 9.B.1(e) The kicker must take the kick within one minute and thirty seconds (ninety seconds) from the time a try has been awarded. The player must take the kick within one minute and thirty seconds even if the ball rolls over and has to be placed again.	Time limit reduced to 60 seconds for conversion kicks, and 45 seconds for penalty kicks.
Law 15.4 (c) The tackler must get up before playing the ball and then may play the ball from any direction. Sanction: Penalty kick	The tackler must get up before playing the ball and then can only play from their own side of the tackle “gate”. Rationale: To make the tackle/ruck simpler for players and referees and more consistent with the rest of that law.
Law 16 Definitions A ruck is a phase of play where one or more players from each team, who are on their feet, in physical contact, close around the ball on the ground. Open play has ended. Players are rucking when they are in a ruck and using their feet to try to win or keep possession of the ball, without being guilty of foul play.	A ruck commences when at least one player is on their feet and over the ball which is on the ground (tackled player, tackler). At this point the offside lines are created. Players on their feet may use their hands to pick up the ball as long as this is immediate. As soon as an opposition player arrives, no hands can be used.
Law 16.4 Other ruck offences	A player must not kick the ball out of a ruck. The player can only hook it in a backwards motion.
Law 17.2(d) Keeping players on their feet. Players in a maul must endeavour to stay on their feet. The ball carrier in a maul may go to ground providing the ball is available immediately and play continues.	Greater policing of this law, in order to discourage "hold up tackles", by ensuring that the tackler, who holds up a ball carrier in an effort to form a maul, does not collapse the maul as soon as it has formed.
Law 19.2(d) For a quick throw-in, the player must use the ball that went into touch. A quick throw-in is not permitted if another person has touched the ball apart from the player throwing it in and an opponent who carried it into touch. The same team throws into the lineout.	Players will be allowed to take quick throw-ins regardless of whether someone else has touched the ball
Law 19.6 The player taking the throw-in must stand at the correct place. The player must not step into the field of play when the ball is thrown. The ball must be thrown straight, so that it travels at least 5 metres along the line of touch before it first touches the ground or touches or is touched by a player.	Latitude will be given to the throwing team if the opposing team does not compete for the ball near where the ball is received
Law 20 Definitions ... A scrum is formed in the field of play when eight players from each team, bound together in three rows for each team, close up with their opponents so that the heads of the front rows are interlocked. This creates a tunnel into which a scrum half throws the ball so that front row players can compete for possession by hooking the ball with either of their feet ...	Once the ball touches the ground in the tunnel, any front-row player may use either foot to try to win possession of the ball. One player from the team who put the ball in must strike for the ball. Rationale: To promote a fair contest for possession. Sanction: Free-kick
Law 20.5(d) Throwing the ball into the scrum No Delay. As soon as the front rows have come together, the scrum half must throw in the ball without delay. The scrum half must throw in the ball when told to do so by the referee. The scrum half must throw in the ball from the side of the scrum first chosen. Sanction: Free Kick	No signal from referee. The scrum-half must throw the ball in straight, but is allowed to align their shoulder on the middle line of the scrum, therefore allowing them to stand a shoulder width towards their own side of the middle line. Rationale: To promote scrum stability, a fair contest for possession while also giving the advantage to the team throwing in.
Law 20.9 (b) All players: Handling in the scrum. Players must not handle the ball in the scrum or pick it up with their legs. Sanction: Penalty kick	The number eight shall be allowed to pick the ball from the feet of the second-rows. Rationale: To promote continuity.
Law 21.2(a) The kicker must take the penalty or free kick at the mark or anywhere behind it on a line through the mark.	Increased latitude will be given to where penalty and free kicks are to be taken
Competition rule - Bonus point awarded for scoring 4 tries	Bonus point awarded if winning team scores 3 or more tries than their opponents. This particular system has been used in France's professional leagues since the 2007–08 northern hemisphere season.[25][26]
Television match official protocols	Television match official to only be consulted about tries and in-goal plays.

Regular season

The nine teams played in a round-robin for the regular season, each team having four matches at home and four away. The top four teams qualified for the semi-finals with the respective winner meeting in the final.^[27]

During this section of the competition, teams also played for the Horan-Little Shield, a challenge trophy put on the line when a challenge is accepted by the holders or mandated by the terms of competition for the shield.

Points for the regular season standings were accumulated by the same method as for The Rugby Championship and Super Rugby. A slightly modified version of the standard competition points system was used, with a bonus point awarded to a winning team scoring at least 3 tries more than their opponent; and a bonus point awarded to a losing team defeated by a margin of 7 points or under.^[28] Four points were awarded for a win and none for a loss; two points were awarded to each team if a match was drawn.

Each team's placement was based on its cumulative points total, including any bonus points earned. For teams level on table points, tiebreakers apply in the following order:^[29]

1. Difference between points for and against during the season.
2. Head-to-head match result(s) between the tied teams.
3. Total number tries scored during the season.

The top four teams at the end of the regular season qualified for the title play-offs in the form of semi-finals followed by a final to determine the champion team.^[19]

Standings

National Rugby Championship
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts
1	Canberra Vikings	8	6	0	2	353	186	+167	3	2	29
2	Queensland Country	8	6	0	2	316	204	+112	4	1	29
3	Fijian Drua	8	4	0	4	261	245	+16	4	2	22
4	Perth Spirit HL	8	4	0	4	269	237	+32	2	2	20
5	NSW Country Eagles	8	4	1	3	219	217	+2	1	1	20
6	Brisbane City	8	4	1	3	281	291	–10	2	0	20
7	Greater Sydney Rams	8	3	0	5	248	319	–71	1	0	13
8	Sydney Rays	8	3	0	5	238	322	–84	1	0	13
9	Melbourne Rising	8	1	0	7	193	357	–164	0	0	4
Updated: 29 October 2017 Source: rugbyarchive.net  • Teams 1 to 4 (Green background) at the end of the preliminary competition rounds qualify for the Title play-offs. HL denotes the holder of the Horan-Little Shield.

Competition rounds

All kick-offs listed are in local time.

Round 1

	2 September 2017	Canberra Vikings	48–40	Queensland Country	Viking Park, Canberra
	15:00 AEST	Try: Robinson, Banks, Muirhead, Abel, Hyne, Powell, Penders Con: Hawera 4 Pen: Hawera	[30]	Try: Paia’aua 2, Timu, Tuttle, Scott-Young, Faagase Con: Tuttle 4	Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Graham Cooper

	2 September 2017	Brisbane City	45–36	Fijian Drua	Ballymore, Brisbane
	15:00 AEST	Try: Ready, Fidow 3, Tui, Gunn, Kerevi Con: Cooper 4, Alatimu	[31]	Try: Nacebe 2, Voka, Sau, Cavuilati, Reece Con: Douglas 2, Nacebe Cards: Yellow Cards: Mudu, Tawake	Attendance: 3,200 Referee: Damon Murphy

Horan-Little Challenge	3 September 2017	Greater Sydney Rams	44–23	NSW Country Eagles	TG Millner Field, Sydney
	15:00 AEST	Try: Grant, Ale, Pili-Gaitau, Tuisue, Naiyaravoro, Fuavao Con: Mason 4 Pen: Mason 2	[32]	Try: Adams 2, Kagiassis Con: Adams Pen: Adams 2	Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Angus Gardner

	3 September 2017	Perth Spirit	45–33	Melbourne Rising	UWA Rugby Club, Perth
	15:00 AWST	Try: Naisarani, Faulkner 2, Cowan, Peni, Brache, Verity-Amm Con: Lance 5	[33]	Try: Tuipulotu, Koroibete 2, McGregor, Maddocks Con: McGregor 4	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Will Houston

Bye/s: Sydney Rays

Round 2

	9 September 2017	Queensland Country	31–12	Brisbane City	Dolphins RU Club, Noosa
	13:00 AEST				Attendance: 2,000

	9 September 2017	Melbourne Rising	24–45	Fijian Drua	Harlequin Oval, Melbourne
	15:00 AEST				Attendance: 2,000

	10 September 2017	Canberra Vikings	33–26	Perth Spirit	Viking Park, Canberra
	13:00 AEST				Attendance: 500

Horan-Little Challenge	10 September 2017	Sydney Rays	26–41	Greater Sydney Rams	Macquarie Uni, Sydney
	15:00 AEST				Attendance: 1,500

Bye/s: NSW Country Eagles

Round 3

	16 September 2017	Fijian Drua	31–14	NSW Country Eagles	Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka
	15:00 FJT				Attendance: 4,000+

	16 September 2017	Sydney Rays	48–28	Melbourne Rising	Pittwater Park, Sydney
	15:00 AEST				Attendance: 500

	17 September 2017	Brisbane City	42–40	Canberra Vikings	UQ Rugby Club, Brisbane
	13:00 AEST				Attendance: 2,300

	17 September 2017	Perth Spirit	61–17	Greater Sydney Rams	UWA Rugby Club, Perth
	13:00 AWST				Attendance: 2,000

Bye/s: Queensland Country

Round 4

	23 September 2017	NSW Country Eagles	25–24	Canberra Vikings	Bellevue Oval, Armidale
	13:00 AEST				Attendance: 2,200

	23 September 2017	Fijian Drua	41–5	Perth Spirit	ANZ Stadium, Suva
	17:00 FJT				Attendance: 8,000+

	24 September 2017	Sydney Rays	24–50	Queensland Country	Pittwater Park, Sydney
	13:00 AEST				Attendance: 700

	24 September 2017	Melbourne Rising	41–31	Greater Sydney Rams	Harlequin Oval, Melbourne
	15:00 AEST				Attendance: 1,000

Bye/s: Brisbane City

Round 5

	29 September 2017	Canberra Vikings	66–5	Fijian Drua	Viking Park, Canberra
	19:30 AEST				Attendance: 2,000

	30 September 2017	Queensland Country	54–12	Melbourne Rising	Bond University, Gold Coast, Gold Coast
	15:00 AEST				Attendance: 1,200

	1 October 2017	Perth Spirit	62–28	Brisbane City	UWA Rugby Club, Perth
	14:00 AWST				Attendance: 2,000

	2 October 2017	NSW Country Eagles	26–17	Sydney Rays	Simon Poidevin Oval, Goulburn
	15:00 AEDT				Attendance: 1,000

Bye/s: Greater Sydney Rams

Round 6

Pasifika Round

Horan-Little Challenge	7 October 2017	Greater Sydney Rams	31–57	Fijian Drua	TG Millner Field, Sydney
	15:00 AEDT				Attendance: 4,000

	7 October 2017	Queensland Country	34–31	NSW Country Eagles	Bond University, Gold Coast, Gold Coast
	16:00 AEST				Attendance: 1,000

	8 October 2017	Melbourne Rising	12–36	Canberra Vikings	Frankston Park, Frankston
	13:00 AEDT				Attendance: 1,000

	8 October 2017	Sydney Rays	29–46	Brisbane City	Pittwater Park, Sydney
	15:00 AEDT				Attendance: 1,500

Bye/s: Perth Spirit

Round 7

	14 October 2017	Greater Sydney Rams	31–57	Queensland Country	TG Millner Field, Sydney
	13:00 AEDT				Attendance: 500

	14 October 2017	NSW Country Eagles	15–10	Perth Spirit	Scully Park, Tamworth
	15:00 AEDT				Attendance: 500

	15 October 2017	Canberra Vikings	71–14	Sydney Rays	Viking Park, Canberra
	14:30 AEDT				Attendance: 1,700

	15 October 2017	Brisbane City	51–24	Melbourne Rising	Wests Bulldogs, Brisbane
	16:00 AEST				Attendance: 1,000

Bye/s: Fijian Drua

Round 8

Horan-Little Challenge	21 October 2017	Fijian Drua	17–24	Queensland Country	Churchill Park, Lautoka
	14:00 FJT		Report [34]		Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Graham Cooper

	21 October 2017	Brisbane City	19–31	Greater Sydney Rams	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
	14:00 AEST		Report [35]		Attendance: 1,100 Referee: Nic Berry

	21 October 2017	Perth Spirit	31–44	Sydney Rays	UWA Rugby Club, Perth
	14:00 AWST		Report [36]		Attendance: 2,100 Referee: Angus Gardner

	22 October 2017	Melbourne Rising	19–47	NSW Country Eagles	Harlequin Oval, Melbourne
	14:30 AEDT	Try: Ratu, Hutchison, Maddocks Con: McGregor 2	Report [37]	Try: Gibbon 3, Freier, Gordon, Wileman, Gibbon, Paenga-Amosa Con: Adams 6	Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Will Houston

Bye/s: Canberra Vikings

Round 9

	28 October 2017	NSW Country Eagles	38–38	Brisbane City	Wade Park, Orange
	13:00 AEDT				Attendance: 1,500

	28 October 2017	Fijian Drua	29–36	Sydney Rays	ANZ Stadium, Suva
	16:00 FJT				Attendance: 3,000

	29 October 2017	Greater Sydney Rams	22–35	Canberra Vikings	TG Millner Field, Sydney
	15:00 AEDT				Attendance: 500

Horan-Little Challenge	29 October 2017	Queensland Country	26–29	Perth Spirit	Qld Group Stadium, Ipswich
	16:00 AEST				Attendance: 1,000

Bye/s: Melbourne Rising

Finals

The top four sides in the regular season advanced to the semifinals of the knock-out stage, which was followed by the final to decide the National Rugby Championship title.

	Semi-finals					Final
	1	Canberra Vikings	40
	4	Perth Spirit	35
						Canberra Vikings		28
						Queensland Country		42
	2	Queensland Country	57
	3	Fijian Drua	21

Semi-finals

	4 November 2017	Canberra Vikings	40–35	Perth Spirit	Viking Park, Canberra
	16:00 AEDT	Try: Valetini 24' c Sione 31' c, Muirhead 34' c Lloyd 56' c, Banks 67' m Hawera 71' c Con: Hawera (5/6) 25', 32', 36', 57', 72'	Report	Try: Arnold (3) 3' c, 28' c, 40+2' c Rangi 46' c Malolo 74' c Con: Grant (5/5) 4', 29', 40+3', 47', 74' Cards: Koteka 69' to 79'	Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Damon Murphy

	5 November 2017	Queensland Country	57–21	Fijian Drua	Sports Ground, Toowoomba
	14:00 AEST	Try: Timu (2) 5' c, 28' c Paia'aua (2) 17' c, 72' m Tupou (2) 37' m, 59' c Feauai-Sautia 43' c James 49' m, Nabuli 78' c Con: Tuttle (5/8) 6', 18', 29', 44', 60' Daugunu (1/1) 79'	Report	Try: Rarawa (3) 34' c, 36' c, 53' c Con: Waqatabu (3/3) 35', 47, 54' Cards: Tawake 26' to 36' Mawi 65' to 75'	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Will Houston

Final

	11 November 2017	Canberra Vikings	28–42	Queensland Country	Viking Park, Canberra
	19:30 AEDT	Try: Dargaville 25' c, Lloyd 33' c, Valetini 37' c, Taliauli 67' c Con: Hawera (4/4) 25', 34', 38', 68'	Details Report[1]	Try: Tuttle 20' c, Daugunu (3) 43' c, 53' c, 77' c, Paia'aua (2) 57' c, 75' c Con: Tuttle (6/6) 21', 44', 54', 58', 76', 78' Cards: Paia'aua 65' to 75'	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Will Houston

Canberra Vikings

Queensland Country

Team details

FB 15 Tom Banks RW 14 Ben Johnston OC 13 Len Ikitau  64' IC 12 James Dargaville LW 11 Andy Muirhead FH 10 Wharenui Hawera SH 9 Ryan Lonergan  64' N8 8 Lolo Fakaosilea OF 7 Tom Cusack BF 6 Rob Valetini RL 5 Darcy Swain LL 4 Dean Oakman-Hunt TP 3 Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin  79' HK 2 Folau Fainga'a  68' LP 1 Harrison Lloyd  61' Replacements: HK 16 Robbie Abel  68' PR 17 Faalelei Sione  61' PR 18 Max Bode  79' LK 19 Michael Oakman-Hunt FL 20 Angus Allen SH 21 Pedro Rolando  64' FH 22 Liam Moseley OB 23 Lausii Taliauli  64' Coach: Tim Sampson FB 15 Patrick James RW 14 Filipo Daugunu OC 13 Chris Feauai-Sautia IC 12 Duncan Paia'aua LW 11 Eto Nabuli FH 10 Hamish Stewart SH 9 James Tuttle N8 8 Caleb Timu OF 7 Tainui Ford  66' BF 6 Angus Scott-Young RL 5 Angus Blyth LL 4 Harry Hockings TP 3 Taniela Tupou HK 2 Alex Mafi LP 1 Richie Asiata Replacements: HK 16 Alex Casey PR 17 Gareth Ryan PR 18 Gavin Luka LK 19 Phil Potgieter LF 20 Ted Postal  66' SH 21 Tate McDermott FH 22 Teti Tela OB 23 Tony Hunt Coach: Brad Thorn Man of the Match: Duncan Paia'aua Assistant Referees: Damon Murphy (Australia) Jordan Way (Australia) Television match official: Ian Smith (Australia)