2018 National Rugby Championship

The 2018 National Rugby Championship was the fifth season of the top flight of Australian domestic rugby union. The competition began on 1 September and concluded on 27 October. Matches were broadcast on Fox Sports and the championship featured eight professional teams, seven from Australia and one from Fiji.^[1]

2018 National Rugby Championship
Countries	Australia Fiji
Date	1 September – 27 October
Champions	Fijian Drua (1st title)
Runners-up	Queensland Country
Matches played	31
Attendance	79,400 (average 2,561 per match)
Highest attendance	6,000 (Fijian Drua 66-5 Brisbane City) & (Fijian Drua 34-26 Queensland Country)
Official website
www.rugby.com.au/competitions/nrc
← 2017 2019 →

The Fijian Drua won their first NRC title, defeating reigning champion side Queensland Country by 36–26 in the grand final held at Churchill Park in Lautoka. The Drua secured home ground advantage in the final by winning the minor premiership for the regular season and then beating Canberra Vikings in their semifinal. Queensland Country defeated the Western Force in the other semifinal to progress to the grand final. Fijian Drua also finished the season as winners of the Horan-Little Shield for 2018.

Teams

There were two major changes for the 2018 season. The Greater Sydney Rams team was removed from the competition, leaving New South Wales with two participating sides in the NRC, one Sydney team and one Country team.^[2] In Perth, the Western Force replaced Perth Spirit as the team in Western Australia, following the removal of the Force from the Super Rugby competition in 2018.^[3] The eight teams for the 2018 NRC season include two from New South Wales, two from Queensland, and one each from Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Western Australia, and Fiji:

Region	Team	Coach	Captain	Ref
Australian Capital Territory	Canberra Vikings	Nick Scrivener	Ben Hyne	[4]
Fiji	Fijian Drua	Senirusi Seruvakula	Mosese Voka	[5][6]
New South Wales	NSW Country Eagles	Darren Coleman	Paddy Ryan	[7][8]
	Sydney Rays	Chris Whitaker	Damien Fitzpatrick	[9][10]
Queensland	Brisbane City	Mick Heenan	Adam Korczyk	[11][12]
	Queensland Country	Rod Seib	Duncan Paia'aua	[13]
Victoria	Melbourne Rising	Eoin Toolan	Angus Cottrell	[14]
Western Australia	Western Force	Tim Sampson	Ian Prior	[15][16]

Television coverage and streaming

Two of the NRC matches each weekend are broadcast live via Fox Sports, with the remaining matches shown live on the Fox Sports streaming platform.^[1] Discussion of the NRC competition is included on the Fox Sports review show NRC Extra Time on Monday nights, and the Kick & Chase program on Wednesday evenings.

Experimental Law Variations

World Rugby adopted all global law variations being trialled as of May 2018 into the rugby law book with immediate effect.^[17] As such, the NRC 2017 trial changes to Laws 15, 16 and 20 (renumbered as 14, 15 and 19 in the simplified 2018 laws) ^[18] were officially incorporated by World Rugby and thus became variations no more. The other law variations used for the NRC in 2017 were retained for the 2018 season.^[19]

NRC Law Variations 2018

Existing Law of the Game	Variation
Television Match Official / Global law trial: Law 5 A match organiser may appoint a television match official (TMO), who uses technological devices to clarify situations relating to: The grounding of the ball in in-goal. Touch or touch-in-goal in the act of grounding the ball or the ball being made dead. Where there is doubt as to whether a kick at goal has been successful. Where match officials believe an infringement may have occurred in the playing area leading to a try or preventing a try. Foul play, including sanctions. Any of the match officials, including the TMO, may recommend a review by the TMO. The reviews will take place in accordance with the TMO protocol.[20]	Television match official to only be consulted about tries and in-goal plays.
Conversion: Law 8 (d) [The kicker] takes the kick within 90 seconds (playing time) from the time the try was awarded, even if the ball rolls over and has to be placed again. Sanction: Kick is disallowed.	Time limit reduced to 60 seconds for conversion kicks.
Penalty goal: Law 8 The kick must be taken within 60 seconds (playing time) from the time the team indicated their intention to do so, even if the ball rolls over and has to be placed again. Sanction: Kick is disallowed and a scrum is awarded.	Time limit reduced to 45 seconds for penalty kicks.
During a maul: Law 16 The ball-carrier in a maul may go to ground provided that player makes the ball available immediately. Sanction: Scrum. All other players in a maul must endeavour to stay on their feet. All players in a maul must be caught in or bound to it and not just alongside it. Players must not: Intentionally collapse a maul or jump on top of it. Attempt to drag an opponent out of a maul. Sanction: Penalty.	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.
Quick throw: Law 18 A quick throw is disallowed and a lineout is awarded to the same team if: A lineout had already been formed; or The ball had been touched after it went into touch by anyone other than the player throwing in or the player who carried the ball into touch; or A different ball is used from the one that originally went into touch.	Players will be allowed to take quick throw-ins regardless of whether someone else has touched the ball
Location of a penalty or free kick: Law 20 A penalty or free-kick is taken from where it is awarded or anywhere behind it on a line through the mark and parallel to the touchlines. When a penalty or free-kick is taken at the wrong place, it must be re-taken.	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 a winning team scores at least 3 more tries than its opponent. This particular system was first used in the French professional leagues during the 2007–08 northern hemisphere season.[21][22]

Regular season

The eight teams competed in a round-robin tournament for the regular season.^[3] 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.^[23] 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:^[24]

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.^[3]

Standings

National Rugby Championship
#	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts
1	Fijian Drua HL	7	6	0	1	283	175	+108	3	0	27
2	Queensland Country	7	5	0	2	299	211	+88	3	1	24
3	Western Force	7	5	0	2	284	202	+82	2	1	23
4	Canberra Vikings	7	5	0	2	221	169	+52	1	1	22
5	Brisbane City	7	4	0	3	205	245	−40	1	1	18
6	Melbourne Rising	7	2	0	5	239	192	+47	2	3	13
7	NSW Country Eagles	7	1	0	6	140	280	−140	0	2	6
8	Sydney Rays	7	0	0	7	167	364	−197	0	1	1
Updated: 14 October 2018 Source: rugbyarchive.net  • Teams 1 to 4 (Green background) at the end of the regular season rounds qualify for the title playoffs. HL denotes the holder of the Horan-Little Shield.

Team progression

National Rugby Championship progression
Team	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	NSW Derby [a]	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7
Brisbane City	0 (7th)	0 (8th)	5 (6th)	5 (6th)	9 (5th)	13 (5th)	17 (5th)	18 (5th)
Canberra Vikings	0 (6th)	5 (4th)	9 (3rd)	9 (3rd)	13 (3rd)	17 (3rd)	18 (4th)	22 (4th)
Fijian Drua	5 (1st)	10 (1st)	10 (2nd)	10 (2nd)	14 (1st)	19 (1st)	23 (1st)	27 (1st)
Melbourne Rising	0 (8th)	1 (5th)	6 (5th)	6 (5th)	7 (6th)	7 (6th)	8 (6th)	13 (6th)
NSW Country Eagles	0 (4th)	0 (6th)	0 (8th)	4 (7th)	5 (7th)	5 (7th)	6 (7th)	6 (7th)
Queensland Country	4 (3rd)	8 (3rd)	13 (1st)	13 (1st)	14 (2nd)	14 (4th)	19 (3rd)	24 (2nd)
Sydney Rays	0 (4th)	0 (7th)	0 (7th)	0 (8th)	1 (8th)	1 (8th)	1 (8th)	1 (8th)
Western Force	4 (2nd)	9 (2nd)	9 (4th)	9 (4th)	13 (4th)	18 (2nd)	22 (2nd)	23 (3rd)
The table above shows a team's progression throughout the season. For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets.
Key:	win	draw	loss	bye

Competition rounds

All times are local (and subject to change).

Round 1

	1 September	Fijian Drua	40–17	Melbourne Rising	Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori
	3.00 pm FJT	Try: Kurumudu 29' c Veitokani 34' c Waqatabu 41', Vularika 60' c Dyer 62' c, Daveta 76' c Con: Waqatabu (5/6) 30', 36', 61', 63', 77'		Try: English (2) 27' c, 80+2' Marsters 55' Con: Goddard (1/1) 28' King (0/1) K. Valetini (0/1)	Attendance: 5,000 [citation needed] Referee: Damon Murphy

	1 September	Canberra Vikings	35–45	Queensland Country	Viking Park, Canberra
	5.00 pm AEST	Try: F. Fainga'a (3) 16' c, 62' c, 72' c, Taliauli 21' c Muirhead 45' c Con: Hawera (2/2) 18', 22' Jackson-Hope (3/3) 46', 63', 72'		Try: Casey (2) 5' c, 40+1' Campbell (2) 12' c, 32' c Blyth 48' c, Timu 59' c Puli'uvea 75' c Con: Tuttle (3/5) 6', 34', 49' Stewart (2/2) 60', 76'	Attendance: 1,000 [citation needed] Referee: Nic Berry

	2 September	Brisbane City	29–47	Western Force	Norths Rugby Club, Brisbane
	3.00 pm AEST	Try: Foley 7' c Thompson-Te Muunu 16' Morret 28', Cooper 51' c Ngamanu 62' Con: Cooper (2/6) 8', 52' Cards: Waqavulagi (YC) 34' Sooaemalelagi (YC) 68'		Try: Davies (2) 4', 44' c Kaitu'u (2) 57' c, 69' c Thrush 11' c McGregor 32' c, C. Orr 37' c Con: Prior (6/7) 12', 33', 38', 45', 58', 70'	Attendance: 4,500 [citation needed] Referee: Jordan Way

	[a]19 September	Sydney Rays	19–33	NSW Country Eagles	Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
	7.00 pm AEST	Try: Rona 20', Vui 36' c Sinclair 76' c Con: Harrison (1/2) 37' Burey (1/1) 77' Cards: C. Betham (YC) 10'		Try: Gordon (3) 11' c, 63' c, 71' Newsome 18' c, Latu 34' c Con: Mason (4/5) 12', 19', 34', 64' Cards: Meafou (YC) 25' C. Talakai (YC) 80'	Attendance: 1,100 Referee: Angus Gardner

Round 2

	8 September	Fijian Drua	66–5	Brisbane City	Churchill Park, Lautoka
	3.00 pm FJT	Try: Kurumudu (3) 13' c, 39' c, 57' c Lomani (2) 21' c, 48' c Radrodro 10' c Waqatabu 23' c Reece 51' c, Voka 77' Naqali 80+1' Con: Waqatabu (8/10) 12', 14', 21', 24', 40', 49', 52', 58'		Try: Ngamanu 68' Con: Cooper (0/1)	Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Jordan Way

	8 September	Sydney Rays	17–54	Canberra Vikings	Concord Oval, Sydney
	3.00 pm AEST	Try: Latunipulu 18' c Duffy 69' Burey 76' Con: Harrison (1/1) 20' Duffy (0/2)		Try: McInerney (2) 1' c, 6' c Taliauli (2) 14' c, 60' Penalty Try 32' Lonergan 43' c, Hansen 51' c Jackson-Hope 80' c Con: Hawera (6/7) 2', 8', 16', 45', 53', 80+2' Cards: M. Oakman-Hunt (YC) 70'	Attendance: 750 Referee: Damon Murphy

Horan-Little Challenge	9 September	Western Force	54–28	NSW Country Eagles	UWA Sports Park, Perth
	1.00 pm AWST	Try: Brache (2) 1' c, 17' c Dakuwaqa (2) 25' c, 40' c Alcock 38' c, H. Orr 74' Penalty Try 77' Davies 80+4' Con: Prior (5/6) 3', 18', 27, 40', 41', P. Grant (1/1) 80+5'		Try: Newsome 30' c Ryan 44' c Latunipulu 61' c Holloway 70' c Con: Mason (4/4) 31', 44', 62', 71' Cards: Mason (YC) 78'	Attendance: 5,000 Referee: James Quinn

	9 September	Queensland Country	29–28	Melbourne Rising	Hugh Street Rugby Grounds, Townsville
	3.00 pm AEST	Try: Tuttle 4', Blyth 34' c, Campbell 43' Fittock 51', Maafu 62' c Con: Tuttle (1/3) 35' Stewart (1/2) 62'		Try: Ruru (2) 24' c, 29' c King 49' c Naisarani 77' Con: King (3/3) 26', 30', 50' K. Valetini (1/1) 78'	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Aaron Pook

Round 3

	15 September	NSW Country Eagles	7–62	Melbourne Rising	Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium, Mudgee
	1.00 pm AEST	Try: Snowden 77' c Con: Mason (1/1) 77' Cards: Graham (YC) 41' A. Latunipulu (YC) 48'		Try: English (5) 13' c, 23', 29' c, 46' c, 48' Ratu (2) 33', 69' c Ruru 38' c, Marsters 58' c Meakes 67' Con: King (6/10) 14', 14', 30', 39', 47', 58', 70'	Attendance: 1,700 Referee: Will Houston

	15 September	Queensland Country	52–22	Fijian Drua	BB Print Stadium, Mackay
	1.00 pm AEST	Try: Petaia (3) 9' c, 24', 32' c Campbell (2) 21' c, 28' Paia'aua 14' c Daugunu 51' c, Wilson 80' c Con: Stewart (6/8) 10', 15', 22', 33', 52', 80+1'		Try: Daveta 2' Penalty Try 38' Waqatabu 49' Nauma 72' Con: Veitokani (0/2) Waqatabu (0/1)	Attendance: 1,200 Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

	15 September	Sydney Rays	40–61	Brisbane City	Woollahra Oval, Sydney
	3.00 pm AEST	Try: Vui 17' c Fitzpatrick 29' Palmer 47' c, Short 73' c Clements 78' c Harrison 80+2' c Con: Kane (5/6), 18', 48', 74', 79' 80+2' Cards: Vui (YC) 27'		Try: Maranta (2), 8' c, 22' c Wallis (2), 34' c, 42' c Gordon (2) 36' c, 75' Cooper 14' c, Penalty Try 27' McReight 63' Con: Cooper (6/8), 9', 16', 24', 35', 37', 43', 77' Cards: Cooper (YC) 50'	Attendance: 500 Referee: Graham Cooper

	16 September	Canberra Vikings	29–19	Western Force	Viking Park, Canberra
	3.00 pm AEST	Try: Muirhead (2) 4' c, 61' Jackson-Hope 21' c Hawera 66' c Con: Hawera (3/4) 6', 23', 67' Pen: Hawera (1/1) 32'		Try: Alcock 19' c Taefu 36' c Stander 40' Con: Prior (2/3) 20', 38'	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Jordan Way

Round 4

	22 September	Melbourne Rising	28–33	Brisbane City	AA Bailey Reserve, Adelaide
	12.30 pm ACST	Try: King 5' c Meakes 13' c S. Tuipulotu 23' c Ruru 54' c Con: King (4/4) 6' 13' 23' 54' Cards: Noa (YC) 40+3'		Try: Tasi (2) 43' c, 62' Foley 18' c Thompson-Te Muunu 51' c Hunt 59' c Con: Cooper (4/5) 19' 44' 52' 60' Pen: Cooper (0/1)	Attendance: 2,250 Referee: Graham Cooper

	22 September	Queensland Country	40–42	Western Force	Bond University, Gold Coast, Gold Coast
	3.00 pm AEST	Try: Paia'aua 15' McDermott 36' c, Campbell 40' c Finefueaki 43' c Petaia 54' c, Kibble 70' c Con: Stewart (5/6) 36' 40+2' 44' 55' 71' Cards: Slipper (YC) 20'		Con: Davies (2) 11' c, 63' c Brache (2) 22' c, 30' c Dakuwaqa 51' c McGregor 75' c Pen: Prior (6/6) 12' 23' 31' 51' 63' 76'	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Nic Berry

	23 September	NSW Country Eagles	17–24	Canberra Vikings	Bellevue Oval, Armidale
	1.00 pm AEST	Try: Penalty Try 13', Newsome 35' c Con: Mason (1/1) 36' Pen: Mason (1/1) 65'		Try: Valetini 52' c, Taliauli 60' c, Jackson-Hope 80+2' c, Con: Hawera (3/3) 54' 61' 80+3' Pen: Hawera (1/1) 79' Cards: Taula (YC) 10'	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Damon Murphy

	23 September	Sydney Rays	31–34	Fijian Drua	Concord Oval, Sydney
	3.00 pm AEST	Try: Rona (2) 28' c, 80+1' c Vest 5' Davis 12' c Buaserau 43' Con: Burey (3/5) 13', 29', 80+2		Try: Veitokani (2) 35', 74' c Waqatabu (2) 56', 76' c Reece 50', Tuisue 64' Con: Waqatabu (2/3) 75', 77' Vularika (0/2) Cards: Daveta (YC) 42'	Attendance: 3,500 Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Round 5

	29 September	Fijian Drua	48–7	NSW Country Eagles	Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori
	3.00 pm FJT				Attendance: 2,500

	29 September	Canberra Vikings	31–21	Melbourne Rising	Viking Park, Canberra
	7.00 pm AEST				Attendance: 600

	30 September	Brisbane City	39–24	Queensland Country	Sci Fleet Stadium, Brisbane
	3.00 pm AEST				Attendance: 3,000

Horan-Little Challenge	30 September	Western Force	63–15	Sydney Rays	UWA Sports Park, Perth
	3.00 pm AWST				Attendance: 2,500

Round 6

	6 October	Fijian Drua	40–35	Canberra Vikings	Churchill Park, Lautoka
	3.00 pm FJT				Attendance: 5,000

	6 October	Queensland Country	64–24	Sydney Rays	Bond University, Gold Coast
	3.00 pm AEST				Attendance: 1,000

Horan-Little Challenge	7 October	Melbourne Rising	28–31	Western Force	GMHBA Stadium, Geelong
	2.30 pm AEDT				Attendance: 1,500

	7 October	NSW Country Eagles	27–28	Brisbane City	Camden Rugby Club, Camden
	3.00 pm AEDT				Attendance: 1,000

Round 7

	13 October	NSW Country Eagles	21–45	Queensland Country	Scully Park, Tamworth
	3.00 pm AEDT				Attendance: 1,300

Horan-Little Challenge	13 October	Western Force	28–33	Fijian Drua	UWA Sports Park, Perth
	2.00 pm AWST				Attendance: 4,500

	14 October	Melbourne Rising	55-21	Sydney Rays	St Patrick's Oval, Ballarat
	1.00 pm AEDT				Attendance: 500

	14 October	Brisbane City	10-13	Canberra Vikings	Bottomley Park, Brisbane
	2.00 pm AEST				Attendance: 2,500

Title playoffs

	Semi-finals					Final
	1	Fijian Drua	35
	4	Canberra Vikings	28
						1	Fijian Drua	36
						2	Queensland Country	26
	2	Queensland Country	45
	3	Western Force	24

Semi-finals

	20 October	Fijian Drua	35–28	Canberra Vikings	Churchill Park, Lautoka
	3.00 pm FJT				Attendance: 5,000 [citation needed]

	21 October	Queensland Country	45–24	Western Force	Bond University, Gold Coast, Gold Coast
	3.00 pm AEST				Attendance: 2,000 [citation needed]

Final

Horan-Little Challenge[25]	27 October	Fijian Drua	36–26	Queensland Country	Churchill Park, Lautoka
	2.30 pm FJT	Try: Tuisue (2) 33' c, 50' c Radrodro 10' c Naulago 20' Veitokani 60' c Con: Waqatabu (4/5) 11', 34', 51', 61' Pen: Veitokani (1/1) 79' Malele (0/1)		Try: Feauai-Sautia 4' Petaia 29' c Daugunu 52' c Maafu 68' c Con: Stewart (3/4) 30', 53, 70'	Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)

Fijian Drua

Queensland Country

Team details

FB 15 Apisalome Waqatabu  62' RW 14 Levani Kurumudu OC 13 Apisalome Vota IC 12 Cyril Reece LW 11 Aporosa Tabulawaki  57' FH 10 Alivereti Veitokani SH 9 Frank Lomani  72' N8 8 Eremasi Radrodro OF 7 Jone Navori  54' BF 6 Mosese Voka (c) RL 5 Albert Tuisue LL 4 Peni Naulago  55' TP 3 Benji Makutu  43' HK 2 Mesulame Dolokoto  58' LP 1 Joeli Veitayaki Jr  55' Replacements: HK 16 Ratunaisa Navuma  58' PR 17 Eroni Mawi  55' PR 18 Luke Tagi  43' LK 19 Tevita Naqali  55' FL 20 Johnny Dyer  54' SH 21 Peni Matawalu  72' FH 22 Enele Malele  62' OB 23 Avete Daveta  58' Coach: Senirusi Seruvakula FB 15 Jock Campbell RW 14 Filipo Daugunu OC 13 Jordan Petaia IC 12 Duncan Paia'aua LW 11 Chris Feauai-Sautia  73' FH 10 Hamish Stewart SH 9 Tate McDermott  75' N8 8 Caleb Timu OF 7 Tom Kibble  64' BF 6 Angus Scott-Young RL 5 Angus Blyth  77' LL 4 Harry Hockings TP 3 Kirwan Sanday  63' HK 2 Efi Ma'afu  75' LP 1 James Slipper  41' Replacements: HK 16 Richie Asiata  75' PR 17 Harry Hoopert  41' PR 18 Jake Simeon  63' LK 19 Rob Puli'uvea  77' LF 20 Harry Wilson  64' SH 21 Harry Nucifora  75' FH 22 Tom Lucas  73' OB 23 Patrick James Coach: Rod Seib Man of the Match: TBC Assistant Referees: Jordan Way (Australia) Aaron Pook (Australia) Television match official: Tevita Rokovereni (Fiji)

Statistics

Leading point scorers

No.	Player	Team	Points	Average	Details
1	Apisalome Waqatabu	Fijian Drua	91	10.11	7 T, 28 C, 0 P, 0 D
2	Ian Prior	Western Force	78	9.75	1 T, 35 C, 1 P, 0 D
3	Hamish Stewart	Queensland Country	71	7.89	1 T, 30 C, 2 P, 0 D
4	Quade Cooper	Brisbane City	63	9.00	3 T, 21 C, 2 P, 0 D
4	Archie King	Melbourne Rising	63	9.00	3 T, 24 C, 0 P, 0 D

Leading try scorers

No.	Player	Team	Tries	Average
1	Jordan Petaia	Queensland Country	10	1.11
2	Tom English	Melbourne Rising	9	1.29
3	Levani Kurumudu	Fijian Drua	8	0.89
4	Jock Campbell	Queensland Country	7	0.78
4	Apisalome Waqatabu	Fijian Drua	7	0.78

2018 Emerging States Championship

From 2018 an additional competition was formed for teams from so-called "Emerging States",^[26] featuring the Adelaide Black Falcons, Victoria Country Barbarians, Northern Territory Mosquitoes and Tasmania Jack Jumpers. The first Competition was held in Adelaide in September 2018, and the Black Falcons were the inaugural winners.^[27]

Notes

1. Round 1 match for NSW teams played at a later date due to Shute Shield Final.