Greater Sydney Rams

PCS Greater Sydney Rams
Founded	2007 (2007) (as Western Sydney Rams)
Disbanded	2018; 6 years ago (2018) pre-season
Location	Sydney, Australia
Ground(s)	TG Millner Field
League(s)	NRC, ARC

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.

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]

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]

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.

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.

2014-2015 Greater Sydney Rams kit and logo.

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.

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.

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]

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

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.

• Playoff appearances: 2007 (ARC)

National Rugby Championship

Year	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	BP	Pts	Play-offs
2017	7th	8	3	0	5	248	319	–71	1	13	Did not compete
2016	6th	7	2	0	5	264	266	−2	5	13	Did not compete
2015	9th	8	1	0	7	242	363	−121	3	7	Did not compete
2014	5th	8	3	1	4	254	265	−11	2	16	Did not compete

Australian Rugby Championship

Year	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	BP	Pts	Play-offs
2007	1st	8	5	0	3	239	149	+90	7	27	Semi-final loss to the Melbourne Rebels by 23–3.

• John Manenti (2017) ^[4]
• John Muggleton (2016) ^[21]
• Jim Williams (2015) ^[25]
• Brian Melrose (2007, 2014)

• Jed Holloway (2017) ^[26]
• Paul Asquith (2016)
• Jed Holloway (2014–15)
• Lachie Turner (2007)

2017 Greater Sydney Rams squad – NRC
The squad for the 2017 National Rugby Championship season:[27]
	Props Duncan Chubb Jed Gillespie Sekope Kepu1 Robert Lagudi Andrew Tuala Hookers Nathan Charles Gunnz Fuavao Hugh Roach Locks Adrian Hall Fergus Lee-Warner Joshua Redfern Sam Thomson Albert Tuisue		Loose forwards Kotoni Ale Jed Holloway David Hickey Kelly Peniata Meafua Scrum-halves Matt Gonzalez Josh Holmes Nick Phipps1 Fly-halves Jai Ayoub Kodie Hawkins Stu Dunbar Mack Mason		Centres Kurtley Beale1 Ben Cotton Kevin Fuavao Tevita Piukana Dennis Pili-Gaitau Wingers Cam Bailey John Grant Taqele Naiyaravoro Fullbacks Israel Folau1 Liam Windon (c) Team captain Bold denotes internationally capped players at the time 1 Allocated national player additional to contracted squad.

2016 Western Sydney Rams squad – NRC
The squad for the 2016 National Rugby Championship season:[28]
	Props Mesake Doge Matt Gibbon Vunipola Fifita David Lolohea Jack Payne Andrew Tuala Hookers Aaron Blacklock Brandon Paenga-Amosa Hugh Roach Locks Ngaruhe Jones Bradford Kapa Senio Toleafoa Will Skelton Albert Tuisue		Loose forwards Tom Alexander Taunaola Kei Jordan Tuapou Filimone Tufui Tyrone Viiga Scrum-halves Scott Gale Harrison Goddard Waldo Wessels Fly-halves Mitchell Walton Vatemo Ravouvou		Centres Paul Asquith (c) Robaleibau Buaserau Denny Godinet David Minute Apolosi Latunipulu Wingers Fabian Goodall Selestino Kalounivale Luke Smart Fullbacks Albert Nikoro Cyril Reece (c) Team captain Bold denotes internationally capped players at the time 1 Allocated national player additional to contracted squad.

2015 Greater Sydney Rams squad – NRC
The squad for the 2015 National Rugby Championship season:[29]
	Props Cameron Betham Matt Gibbon Jed Gillespie Samuel Needs Cameron Orr Benn Robinson1 Hookers Tatafu Polota-Nau1 Siliva Siliva Hugh Roach Locks Evan Olmstead Filimore Tufui		Loose forwards Marcus Carbone Jonathan Hayes Jed Holloway (c) Cohen Masson Kelly Meafua Scrum-halves Kaleb Rech De Wet Roos Fly-halves Jai Ayoub Kurtley Beale1 Rohan Saifoloi		Centres Paul Asquith Denny Godinet Michael McDougall Jordan Heyer Henry Seavula Henry Taufua Wingers Brad Curtis Rob Horne1 Afa Pakalani Fullbacks Brenden Hartmann (c) Team captain Bold denotes internationally capped players at the time 1 Allocated national player additional to contracted squad.

2014 Greater Sydney Rams squad – NRC
The squad for the 2014 National Rugby Championship season:[30][31]
	Props Ben Alexander1 Rhys Brodie Jed Gillespie Dave Lolohea Guy Millar Benn Robinson Hookers Maile Ngauamo Tatafu Polota-Nau1 Peni Ravai Hugh Roach Locks Jared Barry Andrew Clyne Jed Holloway (c) Dylan Sigg Senio Toleafoa		Loose forwards Chris Alcock Marcus Carbone Michael Kovacic Sakaria Noa Hugh Perrett Patrick Sio Scrum-halves Auvasa Faleali'i Mark Swanepoel Fly-halves Jai Ayoub Kurtley Beale1 Ben Volavola		Centres Lalakai Foketi Tom Hill Tevita Kuridrani1 Apolosi Latunipulu Michael McDougall Henry Seavula Henry Taufua Wingers Dane Chisholm Rob Horne1 Taqele Naiyaravoro Fullbacks Ben Batger Jerome McKenzie (c) Team captain Bold denotes internationally capped players at the time 1 Allocated national player additional to contracted squad.

2007 Western Sydney Rams squad – ARC
	Props Ben Alexander Aaron Broughton-Rouse James Lakepa Peter Niumata Benn Robinson Hookers Josh Mann-Rea Tatafu Polota-Nau Ben Roberts Locks Ben Hand (c) Van Humphries Marty Wilson Sam Wykes		Loose forwards Wil Brame Ben Coridas Mark Howell Gareth Palamo Hugh Perrett Tom Egan Scrum-halves Josh Holmes Dave Rimmer Fly-halves Kurtley Beale Josh Weeks Fa'atonu Fili		Centres Rory Sidey Luke Johnson Chris Siale Wings Filipo Toala Lachlan Mitchell Fullbacks Ben Martin Lachie Turner (c) (c) Team captain Bold denotes internationally capped players at the time

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

• New South Wales Rugby Union (NSWRU)
• New South Wales Waratahs
• Shute Shield

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Greater Sydney Rams.

• Greater Sydney Rams on Facebook
• Greater Sydney Rams on X

• Former Western Sydney Rams official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 13 November 2016)