City New South Wales rugby league team

Representative rugby league team

CityTeam information

Governing body| New South Wales Rugby League
Head coach| Brad Fittler
Captain| Paul Gallen
Most caps| 12 – Joe Pearce
Top try-scorer| 11 – Brian Carlson
Top point-scorer| 91 – Michael Cronin
Team results
First game
City 29–8 Country
(10 June 1911)
First City vs Country Origin
City Origin 30–22 Country Origin
(16 May 1987)
Biggest win
City 55–2 Country  (17 May 1980)
Biggest defeat
Country Origin 42–10 City Origin (8 June 2001)

The Sydney Rugby League team, known as the City Rugby League team, or Sydney Firsts, or Sydney Capitals, is a representative rugby league team. From 2021, the men's team is to consist of players selected from the New South Wales Rugby League Ron Massey Cup competition to play against a combined team selected from Country, New South Wales competitions. The women's team is selected on a region of origin basis from the NSWRL Women's Premiership.

The reorganisation in 2021 means the Sydney / City team is selected from a third-tier competition, as the Ron Massey Cup sits below the first-tier National Rugby League and the second-tier New South Wales Cup. Previously, the Sydney / City team was selected from the first-tier competition. The first match by a Sydney Metropolitan team was held in 1909 against New Zealand. The first match against a Country representative team was held in 1911. Matches by Sydney against international touring teams continued until the 1970s. Annual matches by City against Country were played in most years until 1993. A City vs Country Origin match was introduced in 1987 and this ran until 2017, with a three season hiatus in 1998 to 2000.

## History

[edit]

The New South Wales City team first competed against New South Wales Country on 10 June 1911 which City won 2–8. The first time the match was made an annual event began in 1928 with NSW Country defeating City 35–34.

A Sydney team was assembled for the 1953 American All Stars tour of Australia and New Zealand. The first City V Country origin match occurred on 16 May 1987 with City running out winners 30–22.

In 2016, it was announced by the NRL that the City V Country fixture was to be scrapped beyond the 2017 season. The reasons behind the decision were to clubs pulling their players out of the match and others cited player drain as a reason for the fixture to be culled. There was also a sentiment that the fixture had gone from being a genuine audition match for a potential New South Wales origin jersey to being a regular game as most of the New South Wales side had already been picked prior to the match starting.[1]

On 14 May 2017, the final City v Country fixture was played with NSW City defeating Country 20–8.[2][3]

Overall, New South Wales City were much more successful than New South Wales Country winning a total of 68 games in the annual fixture as opposed to Country's 22 wins with City winning each year from 1976 to 1991.

## Location

[edit]

Any players whose junior football was played for a club within the greater area of Sydney city is deemed eligible to play for the City RL. Meanwhile, anyone from outside the Sydney area can be considered for selection for Country RL Team.

## Men's City v Country Match

[edit]

### 2022 Squad

[edit]

The City squad for the 2022 Open Age Men's match against Country. The team is coached by Brett Cook.[4]

J#  | Position  | Player  | Ron Massey Cup Club

|
|
|

1 | Five-eighth | Clayton Faulalo |  Wentworthville Magpies
2 | Wing | Eparama Navale |  Mounties
3 | Centre, Five-eighth | Eli Roberts |  Hills District Bulls
4 | Centre | Raymond Lesoa |  St Marys Saints
5 | Wing | Edward Aiono |  St Marys Saints
6 | Five-eighth, Halfback | Keiran Hayman |  Hills District Bulls
7 | Halfback | Jesse Marschke |  Hills District Bulls
8 | Prop | Antonio Pelesasa |  St Marys Saints
9 | Hooker | Brad Keighran |  Hills District Bulls
10 | Prop | Niko Apelu |  Wentworthville Magpies
11 | Second-row | Steven Tavita |  Hills District Bulls
12 | Second-row | Patrick Hollis |  St Marys Saints
13 | Lock | Denzal Tonise |  Hills District Bulls
14 | interchange, Hooker | Jarrod Brackenhofer |  St Marys Saints
15 | interchange, Second-row | Joe Vaegaau |  St Marys Saints
16 | interchange, Second-row | Cleveland McGhie |  Ryde-Eastwood Hawks
17 | interchange, Prop | D'rhys Miller |  Western Suburbs Magpies
18 | interchange, Lock | Lopeti Mafi |  Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles

Note: Eli Levido, Manaia Rudolph, Caleb Uele (all Glebe) and Semisi Kioa (Mounties) were named in the selected squad but are not named in the programme.

## Women's City vs Country Match

[edit]

City v Country Women's matches were occasionally played prior to the re-introduction of a stand-alone match in 2017. In 2018 and 2019 the games were played within the National Championships. The 2020 National Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia. In 2021 the National Championships were reorganised, and an open age City v Country Women's Origin was scheduled separately from the National Championships.

### 2022 Squad

[edit]

The following players were selected in the City Origin Women's team to play on 14 May 2022 at 4 Pines Park.[4] The team was coached by Darrin Borthwick.

J#  | Player  | 2022 State Club  | Position(s)  | City  | NRLW  | 2021 State  | Interstate  | Tests  | All
Stars

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Dbt  | S  | M  | T  | G  | Pts  | Dbt  | S  | M  | T  | G  | Pts  | 2018  | 2019  | 2020  | 2021
1 | Jaime Chapman |  Tweed Heads | Fullback | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2020 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 12 | — | — |  3m |  6m 3t |  4m 1t | — | — |  2m 2t
2 | Taina Naividi |  Mounties | Wing | 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |  5m |  10m 9t | — | — | —
3 | Mareva Swann |  Mounties | Centre | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — |  8m 6t | — | — | —
4 | Andie Robinson |  Cronulla | Centre | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — |  9m 4t | — | — | —
5 | Leianne Fiaoo |  Cronulla | Centre, Wing | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 8 | — | — | — |  7m 2t |  11m 11t | — |  1m 1t | —
6 | Emily Curtain |  Wests Tigers | Five-eighth | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — |  3m 1t |  10m 6t 32g | — | — | —
7 | Maddie Studdon |  Cronulla | Halfback | 2018 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 36 | 2018 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 35 |  2m |  4m 8g |  2m |  5m 1t 7g |  9m 3t 45g |  7m 1t 7g |  6m 1t 13g |  3m 2g
8 | Filomina Hanisi |  Mounties | Prop | 2020 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2020 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |  4m |  5m |  9m |  2m 1t | — | —
9 | Renee Targett |  North Sydney | Hooker | 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |  6m |  10m | — | — | —
10 | Tommaya Kelly-Sines |  Mounties | Prop | 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |  4m |  7m 2t | — | — |  2m 1t
11 | Shaylee Bent |  Wynnum Manly | Second-row | 2019 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2019 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 8 | — |  4m 1t |  2m |  7m 1t |  6m |  1m | — |  4m
12 | Talei Holmes |  Cronulla | Second-row | 2020 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2020 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |  3m |  4m |  11m 13t | — |  1m | —
13 | Kennedy Cherrington |  Cronulla | Lock | 2020 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2020 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |  4m |  5m |  10m 3t |  1m | — |  2m
14 | Shirley Mailangi |  South Sydney | interchange, Hooker | 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |  5m |  11m 4t 1g | — | — | —
15 | Fatafehi Hanisi |  Mounties | interchange, Prop | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — |  2m | — | — | —
16 | Christian Pio |  Wests Tigers | interchange, Prop | 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | — | — | — |  4m 2t |  10m 2t | — | — | —
17 | Brooke Anderson |  Cronulla | interchange | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
18 | Tayla Preston |  Wests Tigers | Five-eighth | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — |  6m 2t 6g | — | — | —
19 | Rima Pirini Butler |  Wentworthville | interchange, Prop | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — |  9m 3t | — | — | —
— | Jocephy Daniels |  Mounties | Centre | 2021 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2021 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |  3m |  10m 12t | — | — |  1m
— | Aliti Namoce Sagano |  North Sydney | Second-row, Prop | 2019 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2019 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |  3m | — |  4m |  6m 3t | — | — | —

### Match Details

[edit]

14 May 2017

City Origin  | 20 – 8  | Country Origin

|
|

|  |

North Sydney Oval,
North Sydney, New South Wales

15 May 2021
2:35 PM

City Origin  | 40 – 16  | Country Origin

|
|

Tries: 9
Jessica Sergis 3
Shanice Parker 2
Jocephy Daniels 2
Tiana Penitani
Corban Baxter
Goals: 2
Maddie Studdon 2  | Report[5]
| Tries: 3
Jocelyn Kelleher
Tayla Predebon
Rachael Pearson
Goals: 2
Rachael Pearson 2

Bankwest Stadium,
Parramatta, New South Wales
Referee: Cameron Turner
Player of the Match: Jessica Sergis

## 2017 final City vs Country Origin Match

[edit]

Main article: City vs Country Origin

### Squad

[edit]

City NSW rugby league team  2017 squad  |  | Coaching staff

|
|

*  1  Matt Moylan – FB

*  2  Clint Gutherson – WG

*  3  Nathan Ross – CE

*  4  Tyrone Peachey – CE

*  5  Josh Addo-Carr – WG

*  6  Bryce Cartwright – FE

*  7  Chad Townsend – HB

*  8  James Tamou – PR

*  9  Cameron McInnes – HK

* 10  Paul Gallen (c) – PR

* 11  Curtis Sironen – SR

* 12  David Gower – SR

* 13  Hame Sele – LK

|  |

* 14  Joseph Paulo – PR

* 15  Nathan Cleary – HB

* 16  Pauli Pauli – SR

* 17  Jake Marketo – SR

|  |  |  |  |  |

Head coach

* Brad Fittler

* * *

Legend:

* (c) Captain(s)
* (vc) Vice-captain(s)

* * *

### Match Details

[edit]

7 May 2017
4:00pm (AEST)

Country Origin | 10 – 20  | City Origin

|
|

Tries:
Anthony Don (36') 1
Adam Elliott (58') 1
Goals:
Michael Gordon 1/2
(38')  | [6]
| Tries:
1 (10') David Gower
1 (49') James Tamou
1 (80') Bryce Cartwright
Goals:
3/3 Clint Gutherson
(12', 40' pen, 51')
1/1 Paul Gallen
(80')

Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium,
Mudgee, New South Wales
Attendance: 8,322
Referee: Ashley Klein, Alan Shortall
Player of the Match:  James Tamou

## See also

[edit]

* Sports portal
* New South Wales portal

* List of New South Wales City Origin rugby league team players
* Brisbane rugby league team
* Newcastle rugby league team
* Country New South Wales rugby league team

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "NRL 2015: How will the City v Country fixture be remembered?". Fox Sports.
2. ^ "City v Country Origin: Full-strength line-ups if it were a genuine NSW Origin trial". Fox Sports. May 2017.
3. ^ "NRL scraps City v Country fixture, last edition to be played in Mudgee in 2017". ABC News. 20 November 2016.
4. ^ a b "Country and City squads announced for rep weekend". NSWRL. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
5. ^ Newton, Alicia (15 May 2021). "Studdon puts hand up for Origin recall as City beat Country". NRL. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
6. ^ https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/city-vs-country-2017/nsw-country-vs-nsw-city.html [dead link]

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* City vs Country History

* v
* t
* e

Rugby league in New South Wales

Federations|

* New South Wales Rugby League (Women's)
* Country Rugby League (defunct; now a division of NSWRL)
* NSW Physical Disability Rugby League

Representative competitions|

* State of Origin series
* Interstate Series (defunct)
* City vs Country Origin
* Women's City vs Country Origin

Representative teams|

* New South Wales Blues
* City Origin Team
* Country Origin Team
* New South Wales Residents
* New South Wales Women
* New South Wales U20's
* New South Wales U18's
* New South Wales U16's

NRL clubs|

* Canberra Raiders
* Canterbury Bulldogs
* Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
* Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
* Newcastle Knights
* Parramatta Eels
* Penrith Panthers
* St. George Illawarra Dragons
* South Sydney Rabbitohs
* Sydney Roosters
* Wests Tigers

NSWRL Junior Representatives|

* Jersey Flegg Cup
* S. G. Ball Cup
* Laurie Daley Cup
* Harold Matthews Cup
* Andrew Johns Cup
* Tarsha Gale Cup
* Lisa Fiaola Cup

Metropolitan competitions|

* NSW Cup
* NSWRL Women's Premiership
* Presidents Cup
* Ron Massey Cup
* Sydney Shield
* NSWRL Conference Competitions
* Metro Open Age Gold
* Central Northern Open Age
* Central West Open Age
* Cronulla A-Grade
* Parramatta Open Age
* Penrith A-Grade
* South Sydney A-Grade
* Junior Competitions
* Balmain
* Canterbury
* Cronulla
* Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
* Parramatta
* Penrith Open Men's
* South Sydney A-Grade
* St George
* Sydney Roosters JRL

Country competitions|

* Clayton Cup
* Presidents Cup
* Leagues:
* Barwon Darling
* Canberra
* George Tooke Shield
* Central Coast
* Hastings
* Illawarra
* Macarthur
* Mid West
* Newcastle
* Newcastle & Hunter
* Northern Rivers
* Outback
* Western
* Western Riverina
* Woodbridge
* Groups:
* East Coast
* 2
* 3
* Greater Northern
* 4
* 19
* 21
* Riverina
* 9
* 20
* Western
* 14
* South Coast
* 7
* 16

Discontinued competitions|

* NSWRL premiership
* Amco Cup
* Groups: (1, 5, 13, 18, 19 (Southern Tablelands), 19 (Canberra))
* Crookwell
* Kennedy Shield
* Newtown JRL
* NSW Challenge Cup
* NSW Tertiary Student Rugby League
* Sydney Combined Competition
* Sydney Metropolitan Women's RL

Related articles|

* List of clubs

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