Greater Sydney Rams

The Greater Sydney Rams, originally known as the Western Sydney Rams, is a former rugby union team from Australia that was disbanded in 2018. The Rams won the minor premiership in the 2007 Australian Rugby Championship (ARC), and then competed in the National Rugby Championship (NRC) from 2014 to 2017.

Greater Sydney Rams
PCS Greater Sydney Rams
Founded2007 (2007) (as Western Sydney Rams)
Disbanded2018 (2018) pre-season
LocationSydney, Australia
Ground(s)TG Millner Field
League(s)NRC, ARC

The Greater Sydney Rams team in the NRC took its identity from the Rams side that was founded in 2007. Australia's national competition was discontinued following the first season in 2007 but, after an absence of six years, the ARC was relaunched as the NRC in 2014.[1]

The revived Rams team for 2014 was backed by a syndicate of private investors in partnership with four Sydney rugby clubs; Parramatta, Penrith, Southern Districts and West Harbour.[2] The Eastwood club was initially included in the partnership but withdrew prior to the 2014 season.[3]

In 2017 the Rams were taken over by the Eastwood Rugby Union Club,[4] for what was to be their last season in the competition. A restructure for the 2018 season removed the Rams from the NRC, leaving only two sides from New South Wales in the competition; the Rays and the Eagles.[5]

Name and colours

The inspiration for the name Rams derived from the pioneering past of Western Sydney; and as recognition of the settlers that started the Australian sheep and wool industries in Parramatta.[6] The original orange and blue colours of the Rams were unveiled at the ARC team's launch in March 2007.[7] White was added to the collar of the jersey and base of the sleeves in 2014, and a predominantly white and blue kit with orange highlights was introduced when Eastwood took ownership of the team for the 2017 season.[8]

History

In 2007, an attempt was made to form a third tier of rugby in Australia, similar to New Zealand's ITM Cup and South Africa's Currie Cup. The new competition, called the Australian Rugby Championship, included eight teams. Three of those teams were based in New South Wales, including a Western Sydney team based at Parramatta.[9]
2007 Rams logo.

ARC: Western Sydney Rams 2007

The clubs aligned with the Western Sydney Rams in 2007 were Eastwood, West Harbour, Parramatta and Penrith. All competed in the Tooheys New Cup and Shute Shield club competitions. The Rams' local rivals in the ARC were the Sydney Fleet and the Central Coast Rays. The three ARC teams from New South Wales were aligned with existing clubs and regions.

Brian Melrose was the head coach of the Rams in 2007.[10] Melrose had coaching roles with Manly and the Australian Sevens team and was previously an assistant coach to the Waratahs. He played for Parramatta, West Harbour and Eastwood before taking up coaching.[10]

The Western Sydney Rams played at Parramatta Stadium, which then had an all-seater capacity of 20,000.[11] The Rams were the minor premiers of the 2007 ARC season. The team was knocked out of the 2007 finals by the Melbourne Rebels at the semi-final stage.

The Australian Rugby Championship was terminated at the end of 2007 after only one season of competition, with the Australian Rugby Union citing higher costs than budgeted and further projected financial losses.[12] The Western Sydney Rams team was disbanded with the end of the ARC competition.

Greater Sydney Rams 2014–2015
2014-2015 Greater Sydney Rams kit and logo.
Tatafu Polota-Nau with Greater Sydney 'Horned Army' Fans in 2014.

The National Rugby Championship was announced in December 2013 to commence in 2014 with expressions of interest open to any interested parties with accepted bids to be announced early 2014.

In March 2014 it was announced that the Rams would be revived as the Greater Sydney Rams to compete in the new National Rugby Championship,[13][14] and the team's original colours from the ARC would be maintained.[15]

The new Rams team, representing Greater Sydney, was formed by Greater Sydney Rams Pty Ltd – a syndicate of private investors in partnership with (initially) five Shute Shield clubs: Eastwood, Parramatta, Penrith, Southern Districts, and West Harbour.[2][16] In late June 2014, Eastwood withdrew financial backing from the Rams, and ended their formal association with the team.[17] The Rams' shareholdings were split, with three quarters being held by the syndicate of investors and the remainder held by the clubs (5% being kept aside for Eastwood should they wish to become a partner).[2]

A law firm, People + Culture Strategies (PCS), was announced as the Rams' naming rights partner for the 2014 to 2016 seasons.[18]

The Rams appointed Brian Melrose as head coach for the 2014 season, renewing their association with the coach that took the Western Sydney Rams to the minor premiership in 2007.[19] For the first NRC match of 2014 the Rams named 21-year-old Jed Holloway, from the Southern Districts club, as captain of the team.[20] In 2015, former Wallaby assistant coach Jim Williams was appointed Rams coach.
2016 Rams logo.

Western Sydney Rams: 2016

The franchise reverted to its original name of Western Sydney Rams for the 2016 NRC season.[21] Consideration was given to the Southern Districts Rugby Club switching to the newly renamed Sydney Rays, but the club decided to remain a shareholder of the Rams.[22] Former Australian assistant coach John Muggleton was named as the Rams' new head coach for the 2016 season, with Jeremy Paul and Joel Wilson appointed as assistant coaches.[22]

The team played their home matches out of Concord Oval but only won two matches for the year, finishing the regular season in sixth place and did not make the semifinal stage of the competition.

Greater Sydney Rams: 2017

The Rams franchise underwent a restructure in 2017, reverting to the Greater Sydney Rams name again when Eastwood Rugby Club took over control of the licence.[4] The team's home ground was moved to TG Millner Field.

Before the start of the 2018 season, an announcement from NSW Rugby on 6 June 2018 stated that only two teams from New South Wales would be included in the NRC for that year.[5][23] Reverting to one team each from the city and country meant that the Rams were removed from the competition.[5]

Sponsorship

The Rams naming rights sponsor in 2014 was the workplace relations law firm, People + Culture Strategies (PCS).[18] Other partners in the 2014 season included financial advice firm Evalesco Financial Services, owned by Jeff Thurecht and Marshall Brentnall, ARC Group, owned by Cameron Ryan and Pacific Restaurants, chaired by businessman Rick Hutchinson,[2] and the University of Western Sydney.

In the 2015 and 2016 seasons the RAMS were sponsored by People + Culture Strategies, ARC Group, Evalesco Financial Services and The Digital Athlete. In the 2017 season the RAMS were sponsored by People + Culture Strategies and major international property investment company Brookfield

Stadium
Previous Rams home grounds
Venue   Location   Capacity
Concord Oval Inner West 20,000
Forshaw Park Sutherland Shire 2,000
Granville Park Merrylands 5,000
Parramatta Stadium Parramatta 20,700
TG Millner Field Marsfield 8,000

The Rams initially played at Parramatta Stadium in 2014,[24] home of the National Rugby League club, the Parramatta Eels, and A-league team Western Sydney Wanderers. The site was originally known as Cumberland Oval and rugby union was played there from 1879 through to 1939. The old wooden grandstand was burnt down in the early 1980s and Cumberland Oval was redeveloped into Parramatta Stadium which opened in 1986.

In 2015, the Rams consortium clubs of Parramatta and Southern Districts also hosted home matches.[25] In 2016, the Rams played out of Concord Oval, which hosted eight matches during the 1987 Rugby World Cup, including a semifinal. The Rams played all their home games for 2017 at TG Millner Field, the home ground of Eastwood Rugby Club in the Shute Shield competition.

Records

Honours
  • Playoff appearances: 2007 (ARC)

Season standings

National Rugby Championship

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts   Play-offs
2017 7th 8305248319–71113   Did not compete
2016 6th 7205264266−2513   Did not compete
2015 9th 8107242363−12137   Did not compete
2014 5th 8314254265−11216   Did not compete

Australian Rugby Championship

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts   Play-offs
2007 1st 8503239149 +90 727   Semi-final loss to the Melbourne Rebels by 23–3.

Head coaches

Captains

Squads
  • Tatafu Polota-Nau with Greater Sydney 'Horned Army' Fans
    Tatafu Polota-Nau with Greater Sydney 'Horned Army' Fans
  • Rams win a lineout against Melbourne
    Rams win a lineout against Melbourne
  • Rams backline in action for Round 8
    Rams backline in action for Round 8
  • Rams forwards in action against Melbourne
    Rams forwards in action against Melbourne

See also

References
  1. "Australia relaunches National Rugby Championship". rugbyweek.com. 24 March 2014. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  2. Shooter, Nev (16 July 2014). "SDRC's involvement with the Greater Sydney RAMs". Southern Districts Rugby. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  3. "NRC update part 2: NSW Country and the Sydney teams". The Roar. 9 July 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  4. "Rams rebranded Q&A with John Manenti". 30 August 2017. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  5. "New-look NRC provides improved pathways in NSW as royal blue jersey makes a return for Sydney". NSW Waratahs. 6 June 2018. Archived from the original on 6 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  6. "Western Sydney Rams Ready to Charge". rugby.com.au (NSWRU). 20 March 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
  7. "Blue has been a part of rugby history in Western Sydney since the founding of the Two Blues in 1879". twitter.com/Rams_Rugby. 23 March 2014. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  8. "Greater Sydney Rams make powerful statement against Eagles". Green and Gold Rugby. 3 September 2017. Archived from the original on 5 November 2017.
  9. "NSW unveils three team structure for national comp". ESPN Scrum. 6 September 2006. Archived from the original on 13 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  10. "Melrose to Lead Western Front". waratahs.com.au. 17 January 2007. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
  11. "Parramatta Stadium". austadiums.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
  12. "ARU pull plug on Australian Rugby Championship". ESPN Scrum. 18 December 2007. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  13. "Australian Rugby Union says National Rugby Championship to start in August". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  14. "ARU Board approves nine team National Rugby Championship to start in August 2014". rugby.com.au (Press release). 24 March 2014. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  15. "Our colours were chosen to reflect our previous incarnation in the ARC". twitter.com/Rams_Rugby. 23 March 2014. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  16. "We're a team representing the 5 Great districts of Sydney!". twitter.com/Rams_Rugby. 23 March 2014. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  17. "Eastwood quit Greater Sydney Rams partnership". ESPN Scrum. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  18. Nelson, Felicity (21 August 2014). "The laws of the game". Lawyers Weekly. Archived from the original on 24 August 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  19. "The Rams are welcoming back Brian "Billy" Melrose as Head Coach in 2014". twitter.com/Rams_Rugby. 4 May 2014. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  20. "PCS Greater Sydney RAMS name side to face NSW Country Eagles in their first NRC Game". Rams Rugby. 21 August 2014. Archived from the original on 25 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  21. "New coach confident Western Sydney Rams will be a threat". Rugby News. Sydney. 9 July 2016. Archived from the original on 17 July 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  22. "Questions and answers – 2016". Rams Rugby. 16 July 2016. Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  23. "NSW to field two NRC teams in 2018". Rugby Australia. 6 June 2018. Archived from the original on 6 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  24. "Pirtek Stadium". austadiums.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  25. "Greater Sydney Rams are ramping up rugby in your backyard for 2015". Rams Rugby. 12 June 2015. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  26. "NRC Team of the week". Australian Rugby. 4 September 2017. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  27. "Introducing your 2017 Greater Sydney Rams squad". facebook.com/GreaterSydneyRams. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  28. "The Western Sydney Rams: Team List". Daley Rugby. 22 August 2016. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  29. "PCS RAMS Team Announcement for 2015 NRC Season". Rams Rugby. 4 August 2015. Archived from the original on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  30. "Greater Sydney Rams name NRC Squad for 2014". The Roar. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 1 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  31. "Qantas Wallabies player alignments unveiled for 2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship". Australian Rugby. 21 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
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