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Fresh Rebels team prepared to stay away from Covid hot-bed Melbourne for Super Rugby AU
By AAP
The Rebels are prepared to match their code rivals Storm and stay away from COVID-19 hot-bed Melbourne for the duration of Super Rugby AU, if required.
The NRL powerhouse has declared they may have to stay in their new Queensland base for the entire season and veteran Melbourne playmaker Matt Toomua says they will do the same to ensure the new rugby competition continues.
Ahead of their opening Super Rugby AU match against the Brumbies in Canberra, where they have relocated to, Toomua says he expects times to get tough.
But he said his team were up for it.
"It's a time of doing things for the greater good and by no means do we feel like that's our job done," Toomua said
"We still have our ambitions to win this tournament, as everyone does, so I'm not saying we won't face our challenges throughout it.
"Things like homesickness, the novelty all wearing off, the stresses at home.
"It's a little bit different than what we've faced in the past but I'm confident we've got the environment to help guys through that."
Toomua will play his 100th Super Rugby match on Saturday night, lining up against the club where started his career, and Toomua admitted it was a strange time to be bringing up his milestone.
Excitement has been building for the new Super Rugby AU tournament which begins this weekend.
"It is odd, but we're all just excited to play - I don't think I need any more motivation," the 30-year-old said.
"It's a bit fitting coming back here to have it in Canberra ... but coming back from this COVID thing it's very much overshadowed.
"There's a lot of fresh blood out there and I think it's a cool little chapter we're about to write for Australian rugby."
He felt Brumbies youngster Noah Lolesio got the better of him in their round two meeting and was looking to even things up even though he felt the Rebels were hitting their straps when the regular Super competition was shut down in March after seven rounds, with the Brumbies runaway Australian conference leaders.
"When this new competition happened, the Waratahs were pretty happy we were all starting fresh on zero points, the Brumbies were pretty filthy, and we were pretty ambivalent.
"If you look at the competition you probably think Brumbies away is one of the tougher matches and we've got that round one and that gets you going, which is good."
Injuries have opened the door for four players to make their Melbourne Rebels debut.
The Rebels will be without Wallabies No.8 Isi Naisairani, who has a hamstring injury, with a number of new faces in their pack.
Former Sunwolves lock Michael Stolberg has forced his way into the starting side, 21-year-old Josh Kemeny will wear the No.6 jersey for the first time after impressing during the COVID break, while forwards Efitusi Maafu and Trevor Hosea have been included on the bench.
Hooker Anaru Rangi will miss the clash with a knee injury, with Test rake Jordan Uelese starting.
Rebels: Dane Haylett-Petty, Andrew Kellaway, Reece Hodge, Billy Meakes, Marika Koroibete, Matt Toomua, Ryan Louwrens, Michael Wells, Richard Hardwick, Josh Kemeny, Michael Stolberg, Matt Philip, Pone Fa'amausili, Jordan Uelese, Matt Gibbon. Reserves: Efitusi Maafu, Cameron Orr, Jermaine Ainsley, Trevor Hosea, Esei Haangana, Rob Leota, Frank Lomani, Andrew Deegan.
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Latest Comments
We beat Wales. Oh wow.
Go to commentsAs has been the way all year, and for all England's play I can remember. I missed a lot of the better years under Eddie though.
Lets have a look at the LQB for the last few games... 41% under 3 sec compared to 56% last week, 47% in the game you felt England best in against NZ, and 56 against Ireland.
That was my impression as well. Dunno if that is a lack of good counterattack ball from the D, forward dominance (Post Contact Meters stats reversed yesterday compared to that fast Ireland game), or some Borthwick scheme, but I think that has been highlighted as Englands best point of difference this year with their attack, more particularly how they target using it in certain areas. So depending on how you look at it, not necessarily the individual players.
You seem to be falling into the same trap as NZs supporters when it comes to Damien McKenzie. That play you highlight Slade in wasn't one of those LQB situations from memory, that was all on the brilliance of Smith. Sure, Slade did his job in that situation, but Smith far exceeded his (though I understand it was a move Sleightholme was calling for). But yeah, it's not always going to be on a platter from your 10 and NZ have been missing that Slade line, in your example, more often than not too. When you go back to Furbank and Feyi-Waboso returns you'll have that threat again. Just need to generate that ball, wait for some of these next Gen forwards to come through etc, the props and injured 6 coming back to the bench. I don't think you can put Earl back to 7, unless he spends the next two years speeding up (which might be good for him because he's getting beat by speed like he's not used to not having his own speed to react anymore).
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