Perth Spirit

Rugby team
teamname = Perth Spirit


union = Australian Rugby Union
location = Perth, Australia
country

founded = 2007
ground = Members Equity Stadium
capacity = 17,288cite web | work=austadiums.com | title=Members Equity Stadium |url=http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=92| accessdate=2007-03-22]
coach = John Mulvihill
captain = Mat Henjak
vice-captain = Tai McIsaac
league = Australian Rugby Championship
season = 2007
position = Semi-Finalist
unionurl=www.rugbywa.com.au
pattern_la1=_black_hoops|pattern_b1=_blackhoops|pattern_ra1=_black_hoops| leftarm1=FF9933|body1=FF9933|rightarm1=FF9933|shorts1=000000|socks1=000000

The Perth Spirit are an Australian rugby union football club based in Perth, Western Australia. The Spirit are one of eight clubs that will compete in the inaugural Australian Rugby Championship (ARC) which starts in August 2007. The Spirit will play at the Members Equity Stadium. The players in the squad have adopted an unconventional name of the Perth Pigs . The team is captained by half back Mat Henjak since he has overcome a back injury.

History

With the announcement of a new national rugby union competition, it was known that one of the foundation clubs would be located in Perth - with three teams in New South Wales, two in Queensland and Canberra and Melbourne clubs making up the inaugural eight. The Perth team's name - Spirit, along with colours and logo were unveiled in March 2007.

Also at the launch of the new team, it was revealed that John Mulvihill would be the head coach of the Spirit for the inaugural season. Mulvihill is also the Super 14 Western Force attack coach. The competition started in August, with the Spirit expected to play their first home game at Members Equity Stadium on the second weekend of August.

Colours and logo

The colours, name and logo of the club were unveiled on March 21, 2007.cite web | work=rugbywa.com.au | title=RugbyWA Launches Perth Spirit For New Competition | date=March 21, 2007 |url=http://www.rugbywa.com.au/news/2007/rugbywa_admin/perth_spirit,51392.html/section/50753| accessdate=2007-03-23] The Spirit's colours were revealed as black and gold - the traditional state colours of Western Australia. RugbyWA board and senior management considered 20 names for the ARC team, with Spirit in the end being the preferred option because it was seen identifiable as Western Australian, and is aligned with the Western Force Super 14 team. The logo of the Spirit was also similar to that of the Force, though it is gold instead of the Force's blue.

Rugby WA said that “Just as Force taps into the natural elements that have shaped WA, the word Spirit is strong, powerful and dynamic, and reflects the independent, open-minded and entrepreneurial way West Aussies approach things”. In addition, “We didn’t choose an animal or plant in the name because we wanted it to reflect a passionate and proudly parochial body of people, West Aussies”. Although the jersey has yet to be revealed, it is known that the Spirit will play in the traditional hoop style.

tadium

The Perth Spirit did play at the Members Equity Stadium in Perth. The ground was opened in 1904. The Western Force do not play at Members Equity, but at the larger capacity venue of Subiaco Oval. However, Members Equity is probably better suited to rugby due to its configuration. The stadium has a capacity of around 17,000. The Perth Spirit played four home games at Members Equity during the first and only ARC season. The stadium is also home to the Perth Glory FC and WA Reds Rugby League Club.

Franchise area

New South Wales and Queensland clubs are aligned with existing local clubs, it has yet to be announced what system the Perth club will be using. It was said of the location of the club during the Spirit's launch that "Perth was chosen to avoid confusion with the Western Force but still make it obviously West Australian". The 28-man squad will not be known until at least the end of the Super 14 season.

Current squad

Records

Head coaches

* John Mulvihill (2007 -)

Captains

* Matt Henjak (2007 -)

Vice-Captains

* Tai McIsaac (2007 -)

ee also

* Western Force
* RugbyWA

References

External links

* [http://www.rugbywa.com.au/ Rugby WA]
* [http://www.rugbywa.com.au/news/2007/rugbywa_admin/perth_spirit,51392.html/section/50753 RugbyWA Launches Perth Spirit For New Competition]
* [http://www.rugbywa.com.au/news/2007/perth_spirit/070719_spirit_squad,51861.html/section/50753 ET Perth Spirit Squad Announced For Inaugural National Competition]
* [http://www.thewholeforce.com/ Unofficial Supporters Site]