Rugby Union - by Craig Hill

The Rays name and logo was chosen to reflect the strong oceanic nature of the region, while the navy and emerald colour scheme came about as a result of the two overriding themes in its natural landscape – the ocean and the bush.

The Rays will play their home matches at Gosford’s Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium and will be backed by feeder clubs Gordon, Manly, Northern Suburbs and Warringah, as well as the Central Coast Rugby Union.

The Rays will play four matches at home in 2007 and will kick off their campaign against the Sydney Fleet at North Sydney Oval on August 10.

The Central Coast Rays are set to thrill fans with an exciting brand of running rugby when the inaugural Mazda Australian Rugby Championships begin [on August 10th].

The Rays will include players from Manly, Warringah, Northern Suburbs and Gordon and will call Bluetongue Stadium home.

Armed with an electrifying backline including Waratah's points-scoring machine Peter Hewat, the Rays are shaping as the entertainers of the new eight-team competition.

"We've got a really exciting backline and our back-row's quite solid, so I think you'll see us play quite an expansive game so it should be good fun," Rays skipper Cameron Treloar said.
"The Central Coast has been crying out for some rugby for a while so it's going to be really good."

The skipper admitted bringing players together from the four rival clubs will make for an interesting dynamic initially but expects a three-day pre-season camp to create a strong team unit.
"I think individually people get along pretty well it'll be interesting getting the clubs meshing together but I think we'll go really well," Treloar said.

The ARC will operate under the revolutionary Stellenbosch Laws in a bid to simplify the game and encourage running rugby, which should suit the dynamic Rays backline.

"It (Stellenbosch Laws) definitely brings fitness much more into it and I think sides with better fitness levels can really take advantage of it," Treloar said.
"It just speeds the game up and makes it more of a spectacle which will be really good, I've enjoyed playing it (in club rugby) and enjoyed watching it so it should be good."

Competition is set to be tight in the race for the inaugural ARC title and while confident of his own side's chances Treloar expects the Melbourne Rebels to exceed expectations.

"Obviously Canberra (Vikings) and Perth (Spirit) have got the combinations formed already through the Super 14 season; I think Melbourne will surprise a few people with the squad they've got," Treloar said.
"They've got a young squad with not much Super 14 experience but guys who can really play rugby so I think they'll surprise a few people."

The Rays play Sydney Fleet at North Sydney Oval in the season opener on August 10.