Rebels 2014

[Tex]

The Platinum memberships held by Mrs daz and myself were renewed the very second the window was opened.

I'll be asking the AAMI Park staff to ensure my seats are cleaned, disinfected and quarantined the day after the soccer season finishes.

Having attended a recent Victory match (albeit at the Dome) I can vouch for the need of a good bleaching.

 

[Dumbledore]

Hergarty is not that small, his 6 foot and 90kg which is pretty standard size for a 10 these days.

Take about two inches off the height listed for pretty much every player and you're there I reckon. Hegarty's tough, but he's not exactly a physical force.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Pop quiz, chaps. Who here is yet to put their money on the table and take out a club membership?

Two memberships renewed and one new one from my place.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to Prince Chichibu Stadium to watch a test match

 

[Jimmy C]

Membership renewed for another year. This time I got to sign up my 3 month old son with a juniors membership (they really need to introduce a babies membership). Even so, can't wait to take him to his first game.

 

[Scooter]

Alex Rokobaro has been named on the bench for Fiji to make his test debut against Portugal this weekend. Good luck Alex.

 

[daz]

Alex Rokobaro has been named on the bench for Fiji to make his test debut against Portugal this weekend. Good luck Alex.

Not taking anything away from the international honour achieved by Alex, and I wish him nothing but the best, but does that indicate a bit of a depth problem in Fiji rugby?

Alex has barely played any Super Rugby minutes for the Rebels.

EDIT: Just saw that the game is against Portugal, so maybe they are just blooding him for the future.

 

[en_force_er]

Not taking anything away from the international honour achieved by Alex, and I wish him nothing but the best, but does that indicate a bit of a depth problem in Fiji rugby?

Alex has barely played any Super Rugby minutes for the Rebels.

EDIT: Just saw that the game is against Portugal, so maybe they are just blooding him for the future.

IDK about that, most players good enough to make a Super Rugby squad would be good enough to be in a Fijian 23. They had a strong squad a few years ago but they're been sub par for a while.

Let's remember in most professional leagues around the world Rokabaro would be getting regular game time.

 

[Zander]

Not taking anything away from the international honour achieved by Alex, and I wish him nothing but the best, but does that indicate a bit of a depth problem in Fiji rugby?

Alex has barely played any Super Rugby minutes for the Rebels.

EDIT: Just saw that the game is against Portugal, so maybe they are just blooding him for the future.

Couldn't even make 1st grade in the Shute Shield.

 

[en_force_er]

Couldn't even make 1st grade in the Shute Shield.

Skelton couldn't make the same team, and many people bitched when he missed the Wallaby squad.

I don't disagree with you that he's not great, but Syd Uni's selection tactics aren't a good yardstick.

 

[Zander]

Skelton couldn't make the same team, and many people bitched when he missed the Wallaby squad.

I don't disagree with you that he's not great, but Syd Uni's selection tactics aren't a good yardstick.

Difference is Skelton was being used a fresh reserve, not playing 2nd grade. Alex wasn't ever a reserve for 1st grade.

 

[daz]

Let's remember in most professional leagues around the world Rokabaro would be getting regular game time.

According to the font of all knowledge (aka Wikipaedia), Alex played 10 games for Stade Francais over 2 seasons at an average of 3.2 points per game. Not really regular game time, but hardly shabby for a young fella.

But he can't get a game off the bench at the Rebels, so to be honest I really don't know what to make of that!

He is 24, so being on the edges now is not enough really. Next year really should be make or break time.

 

[KevinO]

According to the font of all knowledge (aka Wikipaedia), Alex played 10 games for Stade Francais over 2 seasons at an average of 3.2 points per game. Not really regular game time, but hardly shabby for a young fella.

But he can't get a game off the bench at the Rebels, so to be honest I really don't know what to make of that!

He is 24, so being on the edges now is not enough really. Next year really should be make or break time.

That was only one season, remember their season is 2011-12, he was back at the Rebels 2012-13 doing pre-season.

 

[en_force_er]

Difference is Skelton was being used a fresh reserve, not playing 2nd grade. Alex wasn't ever a reserve for 1st grade.

Alright well then use Tilse as an example, if he was at the Rebels for any of the years we've been around (though not next year) you can bet he'd of been starting. He's played as low as Uni 3rds whilst being a Super Rugby contracted player.

The Uni 1st XV squad is Super Rugby standard and I just don't think it's the best metric.

 

[en_force_er]

In other news, Big Timani has sorted out his French contract and is gone at the end of the Spring season.

This rules out him taking one of the 2 spots left on the Rebels roster which have been pencil in as a lock and a 5/8 according to Cordingley. He's said these players would preferentially be Aussie qualified but I can't see any obviously options.

I don't mind this personally, Timani is a good player who deserves to start in any league in the world, but he sure does unbalance a team. A 2nd rower who can't jump in line outs and offers a relatively low work rate around the park (though is devastating when he makes contact) really makes balancing the players around him harder.

Let's keep developing the two locks we've got, and keep Jones in mind as our own Luatua (6 who can play lock).

 

[Scooter]

Eddie Aholelei has been named on the bench for Tonga against Romania. Whilst a similar question as with Alex above could be asked re: quality, it is a great achievement to be selected to represent your country. Congratulations and good luck to Eddie. This will be Eddie's 3rd test.

Shota Horie has been named as starting hooker for Japan v Scotland. I saw the game against the All Blacks and Horie's line out throwing was very good, he also showed in the second half he has a passing game and the Japanese scrum was reasonably competitive with the All Black scrum. Horie did miss a few tackles though.

Fox Sports 3 has Scotland v Japan scheduled for an hour between 9am and 10am tomorrow morning.

The Tonga v Romania match will apparently be streamed at www.rugbytv.ro

 

[Mr Wobbly]

But he can't get a game off the bench at the Rebels, so to be honest I really don't know what to make of that!

He is 24, so being on the edges now is not enough really. Next year really should be make or break time.

I hope Alex does have a big 2014 but I think it's going to be tough for him to get much game time again. Unless he really steps up he's probably about our 5th choice winger and 4th in line for full back.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Shota Horie has been named as starting hooker for Japan v Scotland. I saw the game against the All Blacks and Horie's line out throwing was very good, he also showed in the second half he has a passing game and the Japanese scrum was reasonably competitive with the All Black scrum. Horie did miss a few tackles though.

I was at that game. I'm not sure if it was just because of the different coloured jersey or not but I thought Shota looked like he had put on a bit more beef. He also seems to have ditched the scrum cap in favour of tape.

He did miss a few tackles but the kiwis were running riot at times and the Japanese defencive line was full of holes.

Great atmosphere and a really apreciative crowd. Pretty ordinary stadium though, I hope they get something better for their world cup.

 

[Ash]

The guys who are no longer Australia qualified have sadly limited their Super Rugby careers in Australia - they will have to head overseas after their current contract or after 2 years.

 

[en_force_er]

I was at that game. I'm not sure if it was just because of the different coloured jersey or not but I thought Shota looked like he had put on a bit more beef. He also seems to have ditched the scrum cap in favour of tape.

He did miss a few tackles but the kiwis were running riot at times and the Japanese defencive line was full of holes.

Great atmosphere and a really apreciative crowd. Pretty ordinary stadium though, I hope they get something better for their world cup.

Yeah, I'd say they were the kinds of tackles he shouldn't have been forced into but was by a combo of his enthusiasm and people around him missing them.

He goes okay Shota. If he starts next year he won't be the worst starting 2 in the league but he's also be far from the best.

 

[Dave Beat]

The guys who are no longer Australia qualified have sadly limited their Super Rugby careers in Australia - they will have to head overseas after their current contract or after 2 years.

With NZ having ing such a huge Polynesian precence does the same apply to any of their players if they represent thier heritage?

Perhaps this needs to be looked at as it means loosing more Australian born players over seas, and this weakens our overall depth.