ARU release 2015 National Rugby Championship draw
The Australian Rugby Union has officially released the 2015 National Rugby Championship draw, two months out from the start of the third tier competition.
All nine teams from last year’s inaugural NRC will return in 2015, with Fox Sports set to broadcast one live match a week.
The competition will again take matches to regional areas of Australia, with NSW Country set to play matches in Tamworth, Newcastle and Bathurst; QLD Country heading to Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast and Melbourne Rising playing in Frankston, Morwell and Geelong.
The competition begins on Thursday, 20th August with Brisbane City hosting Perth Spirit in a rematch of last year’s decider. The grand final will likely be played on the 31st October – the same weekend as the Rugby World Cup final.
2015 National Rugby Championship draw
Round 1
Brisbane City v Perth Spirit
North Harbour Rays v Sydney Stars
Greater Sydney Rams v NSW Country Eagles
Queensland Country v Melbourne Rising
UC Vikings – BYE
Round 2
Sydney Stars v Queensland Country
Melbourne Rising v Brisbane City
NSW Country Eagles v UC Vikings
Perth Spirit v North Harbour Rays
Greater Sydney Rams – BYE
Round 3
North Harbour Rays v Melbourne Rising
UC Vikings v Greater Sydney Rams
Sydney Stars v Perth Spirit
Queensland Country v Brisbane City
NSW Country Eagles – BYE
Round 4
Brisbane City v North Harbour Rays
NSW Country Eagles v Sydney Stars
Greater Sydney Rams v Queensland Country
Perth Spirit v UC Vikings
Melbourne Rising – BYE
Round 5
UC Vikings v Sydney Stars
Melbourne Rising v Greater Sydney Rams
Queensland Country v Perth Spirit
Brisbane City v NSW Country Eagles
North Harbour Rays – BYE
Round 6
NSW Country Eagles v Queensland Country
North Harbour Rays v UC Vikings
Perth Spirit v Melbourne Rising
Sydney Stars v Greater Sydney Rams
Brisbane City – BYE
Round 7
Greater Sydney Rams v North Harbour Rays
UC Vikings v Melbourne Rising
Sydney Stars v Brisbane City
Perth Spirit v NSW Country Eagles
Queensland Country – BYE
Round 8
Melbourne Rising v NSW Country Eagles
UC Vikings v Brisbane City
North Harbour Rays v Queensland Country
Greater Sydney Rams v Perth Spirit
Sydney Stars BYE
Round 9
Queensland Country v UC Vikings
Brisbane City v Greater Sydney Rams
NSW Country Eagles v North Harbour Rays
Melbourne Rising v Sydney Stars
Perth Spirit – BYE