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The Central Coast Rays are an Australian rugby union club that plays in the Australian Rugby Championship. The Rays were formed as one of New South Wales' three clubs that will participate in the inaugural season of the championship, starting in August of 2007. The team are based out of the Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford. The team colors are navy and emerald. Their local team rivals are the Sydney Fleet and the Western Sydney Rams.
[edit] History
The inaugural Australian Rugby Championship, starting in August of 2007, includes eight teams of which three of which are based in the state of New South Wales. A team on the Central Coast was always likely, and before specific names and colours were unveiled, the locations of the three New South Wales' teams were revealed, one of which was the Central Coast. The name, logo and team colours were unveiled 15 March 2007 by the New South Wales Rugby Union (NSWRU).[2]
As well as the teams' location and stadium, the coaching set up was also announced prior to the unveiling of the Rays' name, logo and colours. In December of 2006, the NSWRU revealed that John McKee would be the head coach of the Central Coast team.[3] McKee was the first coach appointed out of New South Wales' three clubs, he had previously coached the Eastwood club, as well as worked with French club Montferrand and Irish team Connacht.[3]
[edit] Colours and logo
The name was selected through a partnership between the NSWRU and the Rays' steering committee. The teams' navy and emerald colour scheme was also devised to reflect the natural landscape of the area, from the ocean to the bush.[2] Dave Gibson, NSWRU General Manager of Commercial & Operations said of the name that "When you think north of Sydney Harbour, beaches and nature are two recurring themes,".[2] The Central Coasts' name and colours were chosen ahead of a whole host of possibilities that the steering committee went through.[2] The name 'Rays' is designed to echo the maritime presence throughout some of the teams' catchment area.[2]
[edit] Stadium
- Main article Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium
The Rays' will play their home games out of the Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium (formerly known as Northpower Stadium and Central Coast Express Advocate Stadium) is a sports venue on Grahame Park in Gosford, on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. In the past the stadium has hosted numerous rugby union fixtures, including; Central Coast Waves matches and New South Wales Waratahs matches during the Australian Provincial Championship.
Also home to the Central Coast Mariners football club, the stadium is rectangular and is unusual in that seating is located on only three sides of the ground. The southern end is open giving filtered views of Brisbane Water through a row of palm trees. With an all seater capacity of 20,059 it is currently the sixth largest stadium in the A League.
[edit] Franchise area
New South Wales' three teams in the ARC are aligned with existing clubs and regions. The New South Wales clubs aligned with the Central Coast Rays include Manly, Warringah, Northern Suburbs, Gordon RFC and the Central Coast Waves. Manly, Warringah, Northern Suburbs and Gordon all play in the Tooheys New Cup and Shute Shield club competitions, and the Waves play in the NSW Country Championships as well as the Shute Shield.
[edit] Current squad
- Squad yet to be announced.
[edit] Records
| ARC seasons |
| Year |
Played |
Win |
Draw |
Loss |
PF |
PA |
Diff |
Points |
Place |
Playoffs |
| 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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[edit] Head coaches
John McKee (2007 -)
[edit] Captains
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
