Western Sydney Rams
Encyclopedia
The Western Sydney Rams were an Australian rugby union
football club that played in the now defunct Australian Rugby Championship
. The Rams were formed as one of New South Wales
' three clubs that participated in the inaugural and only season of the championship, in 2007. The team were based out of the Parramatta Stadium
, Parramatta
. The team colors were orange
and blue
. Their local team rivals are the Sydney Fleet
and the Central Coast Rays
. The Rams were the minor premiers of the 2007 ARC season. The Rams were knocked out of the 2007 finals by the Melbourne Rebels
at the semi-final stage.
. A team in Western Sydney was always likely, and before specific names and colours were unveiled, the locations of the three New South Wales' teams were revealed, one of which was a Western Sydney team to play out of Parramatta. The name, logo and team colours were officially unveiled 20 March 2007 by the New South Wales Rugby Union
(NSWRU).
As well as the team location and stadium, the coaching set up was also announced prior to the unveiling of the Rams' name, logo and colours. In January 2006, the NSWRU announced that Brian Melrose as the head coach for the inaugural season. Melrose has in the past been assistant coach to the Waratahs and is also involved with Manly and the Australian Sevens team. He has also played with Eastwood and Parramatta.
The Rams played at Parramatta Stadium
- home of the National Rugby League
club Parramatta Eels
. The current stadium was built in 1985, and at present has an all-seater capacity of 20,000. Prior to Parramatta Stadium, Cumberland Oval existed on the grounds from 1847 to 1981. Cumberland Oval was burnt down after the Parramatta Eels
won their first of 3 consecutive grand finals 1981, 1982, 1983, by a mob of drunken Eels fans. Rugby union was first played at Cumberland Oval in 1879, through to 1939. The construction of Parramatta Stadium began in the early 1980s, and the new stadium was opened in 1986.
, West Harbour
, Parramatta
and Penrith
, who all compete in the Tooheys New Cup
and Shute Shield
club competitions.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
football club that played in the now defunct Australian Rugby Championship
Australian Rugby Championship
The Australian Rugby Championship, often abbreviated to the ARC , was a domestic Rugby union football club competition in Australia which ran for only one season in August–October 2007...
. The Rams were formed as one of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
' three clubs that participated in the inaugural and only season of the championship, in 2007. The team were based out of the Parramatta Stadium
Parramatta Stadium
Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels...
, Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
. The team colors were orange
Orange (colour)
The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The...
and blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
. Their local team rivals are the Sydney Fleet
Sydney Fleet
The Sydney Fleet were an Australian rugby union football club that played in the now defunct Australian Rugby Championship. The Fleet were formed as one of New South Wales' three clubs that will participate in the inaugural season of the championship. The team was based out of the North Sydney...
and the Central Coast Rays
Central Coast Rays
The Central Coast Rays were an Australian rugby union football club that played in the now-defunct Australian Rugby Championship. The Rays were formed as one of New South Wales' three clubs that participated in the inaugural season of the championship, which started in August 2007. The team were...
. The Rams were the minor premiers of the 2007 ARC season. The Rams were knocked out of the 2007 finals by the Melbourne Rebels
Melbourne Rebels
The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
at the semi-final stage.
History
The inaugural Australian Rugby Championship included eight teams of which three of which were based in the state of New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. A team in Western Sydney was always likely, and before specific names and colours were unveiled, the locations of the three New South Wales' teams were revealed, one of which was a Western Sydney team to play out of Parramatta. The name, logo and team colours were officially unveiled 20 March 2007 by the New South Wales Rugby Union
New South Wales Rugby Union
The New South Wales Rugby Union is the organisation responsible for the sport of rugby union in most of the state of New South Wales, Australia...
(NSWRU).
As well as the team location and stadium, the coaching set up was also announced prior to the unveiling of the Rams' name, logo and colours. In January 2006, the NSWRU announced that Brian Melrose as the head coach for the inaugural season. Melrose has in the past been assistant coach to the Waratahs and is also involved with Manly and the Australian Sevens team. He has also played with Eastwood and Parramatta.
Colours and logo
The colours, logo and name of the Rams' was officially unveiled at the team launch on 20 March 2007. The inspiration for the name Rams derives from the pioneering past of Western Sydney - in respect to the history of settlers starting Australian sheep and wool industries in Parramatta. The team launch took place at Old Government House, Parramatta - a National Trust location which is also near the Rams' stadium. The NSWRU Chief Executive Officer said of the location; "History is being created in the Australian Rugby Championship and it’s fitting in doing so we pay tribute to our past, Old Government House is Australia’s oldest public building and it provides a strong foundation upon which to launch a new team.". Inaugural head coach Melrose described the name as a strong front for the team. The Rams were the last of three NSW-based teams to be officially launched for the ARC championship. The Rams' team colours consist of orange and blue.Stadium
- Main article Parramatta StadiumParramatta StadiumParramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels...
The Rams played at Parramatta Stadium
Parramatta Stadium
Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels...
- home of the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
club Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
. The current stadium was built in 1985, and at present has an all-seater capacity of 20,000. Prior to Parramatta Stadium, Cumberland Oval existed on the grounds from 1847 to 1981. Cumberland Oval was burnt down after the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
won their first of 3 consecutive grand finals 1981, 1982, 1983, by a mob of drunken Eels fans. Rugby union was first played at Cumberland Oval in 1879, through to 1939. The construction of Parramatta Stadium began in the early 1980s, and the new stadium was opened in 1986.
Franchise area
New South Wales' three teams in the ARC were aligned with existing clubs and regions. The New South Wales clubs aligned with the Western Sydney Rams were EastwoodEastwood Rugby Club
Eastwood Rugby Club is a rugby union club playing in the Sydney grade competition. The club is based at T G Millner Field, named in honour of its benefactor Colonel Tom Millner MC VD, and the club's players and supporters are primarily drawn from the Northern Suburbs and Hills District of Sydney....
, West Harbour
West Harbour RFC
The West Harbour Rugby Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield, the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales.The club is based in Concord in the Inner West of Sydney, and play their home matches at Waratah Stadium, Concord Oval...
, Parramatta
Parramatta Two Blues
Parramatta Two Blues Rugby are a rugby union club based in the second CBD of Sydney, Parramatta.-History:The club was originally formed in 1879 as Cumberland but changed their name to Parramatta when the District competition was implemented in 1900....
and Penrith
Penrith Emus Rugby
Penrith Rugby Club, known as the Emus, are an Australian rugby union club based in Penrith, a western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The club competes in the New South Wales Rugby Union competitions, the Shute Shield and Tooheys New Cup. The club was formed in 1965 as Nepean and began playing...
, who all compete in the Tooheys New Cup
Tooheys New Cup
The Tooheys New Cup is a rugby union competition established by the New South Wales Rugby Union in 2002 as a stepping stone between the existing grade rugby and Super 14 competitions. Open to the existing 12 grade clubs, the TNC features Super 14 players not on international duty and the...
and Shute Shield
Shute Shield
The Shute Shield is a rugby union competition in Sydney, New South Wales. It is the premier grade rugby trophy in NSW rugby. The Shute Shield is awarded at the end of the Sydney Club Rugby season to the team that wins the Grand Final...
club competitions.
Current squad
| Name | Position | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Ben Alexander | Prop | Eastwood |
| Kurtley Beale | Flyhalf | Norths |
| Wil Brame | Flanker | Manly |
| Aaron Broughton-Rouse | Prop | Eastwood |
| Ben Coridas | Flanker | Eastwood |
| Tom Egan | No.8/Flanker | Easts |
| Fa'atonu Fili | Flyhalf/Fullback | No Club |
| Ben Hand (c) | Lock | Eastwood |
| Josh Holmes | Scrumhalf | Eastwood |
| Mark Howell | Flanker | West Harbour |
| Van Humphries | Lock | No Club |
| Luke Johnson | Centre/Wing | Manly |
| James Lakepa | Prop | Manly |
| Josh Mann-Rea | Hooker | Manly |
| Ben Martin | Utility Back | Eastwood |
| Lachlan Mitchell | Wing/Centre | Sydney Uni |
| Peter Niumata | Prop | Penrith |
| Tatafu Polota-Nau (vc) | Hooker | Parramatta |
| Gareth Palamo | Flanker | Eastwood |
| Hugh Perrett | Flanker | Eastwood |
| Dave Rimmer | Scrumhalf | West Harbour |
| Benn Robinson | Prop | Eastwood |
| Ben Roberts | Hooker | West Harbour |
| Chris Siale | Centre/Wing | Manly |
| Rory Sidey | Centre | West Harbour |
| Filipo Toala | Wing | Eastwood |
| Lachie Turner (vc) | Fullback/Wing | Eastwood |
| Josh Weeks | Flyhalf/Centre | Parramatta |
| Marty Wilson | Lock | Eastwood |
| Sam Wykes | Lock | Parramatta |
Records
| ARC seasons | ||||||||||||
| Year | Played | Win | Draw | Loss | PF | PA | Diff | Bonus (4 tries) | Bonus (Loss <7pts) | Points | Place | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 239 | 149 | 90 | 5 | 2 | 27 | 1 | Semi-Final Loss vs Melbourne Rebels Melbourne Rebels The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia... (23 - 3) |
See also
- New South Wales Rugby UnionNew South Wales Rugby UnionThe New South Wales Rugby Union is the organisation responsible for the sport of rugby union in most of the state of New South Wales, Australia...
(NSWRU) - New South Wales WaratahsNew South Wales WaratahsThe New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
- Tooheys New CupTooheys New CupThe Tooheys New Cup is a rugby union competition established by the New South Wales Rugby Union in 2002 as a stepping stone between the existing grade rugby and Super 14 competitions. Open to the existing 12 grade clubs, the TNC features Super 14 players not on international duty and the...
- Shute ShieldShute ShieldThe Shute Shield is a rugby union competition in Sydney, New South Wales. It is the premier grade rugby trophy in NSW rugby. The Shute Shield is awarded at the end of the Sydney Club Rugby season to the team that wins the Grand Final...
External links
- ARC on NSW Rugby
- Australian Rugby Championship on rugby.com.au