Rebels 2012

If they lock down JOC I would suggest they start him at 10.
a backline of
9. Phipps
10. JOC
11. Vuna
12. Inman
13. Gerrard
14. Kingi
15. Beale

Looks well-balanced, defensively solid, playmakers and attacking flair spread accross the backline. Looks good to me.

Very good post, I agree with almost all of that. However a few side notes, if JOC signs with the Reds we will have to lose one of Tapuai or Harris. They are both too good to be third stringers in any side.

Also what is Lagi Setu doing? I haven't heard much of him in the NRL recently and he was a demon backrower for IGS when he played Australian schoolboys in the same backrow as David Pocock in 2005.

Edit; There is a reason why I have not heard about Lagi recently, and that is he is serving his 2 year mormon service in England. Good for him, I always find it so impressive when young blokes turn their back on money - it is something that I am not sure that I would be able to do myself. William Hopoate is going to do it next year, and boy can he play. Sorry for the slight thread highjack.

From chatting to Beale he is going to Melbourne to play 10, one of the selling points I think.

Personally I think they need to recruit/develop some more Australian players, because don't they lose their overseas players after next year (about 10 players i think)?

Bowside mentioned Jono Lance and Matt Brandon, i could not agree more, both highly talented fly halfs that should be playing super rugby. If Cipriani and Hilgendorf go, regardless if JOC signs or not, those two should get signed.

If I was the Rebels I'd look to raid some of the other provinces academy's.

Really big shame, I think. Beale has shone at 15 to the point where he is arguably the world's best. I reckon he would be heads and shoulders the world's best if he cut out 75% of the chips and grubbers he does in such low percentage situations. Beale looks so good when running the ball a little wider or on the counter with some room around him.

In comparison to Beale's play at 5/8, where in traffic Beale seems to lack the vision to put his support players in hole, or to have a long passing game.

Of course, Beale may grow into a fantastic 5/8, but I have my doubts. Why take one of the (if not the) world's best fullbacks to shoe horn him into what is currently Super level (if that) 5/8?

I guess Beale has the desire to play 5/8, like Gits. Sometimes it's hard for players to realise what position they are best at and to stick there.

Agreed. Beale at 10 is not a good sign for the future. JOC surely won't be looking at the Rebels unless he wants to play inside centre

It is now official that Luke Rooney is going back to Toulon next year.

It's probably because the rhythm and the skills used are not the same in Europe than down under. Toulon doesn't use that much its fullback and wings, and Rooney is ok in defense.
It might be the same next year because Mason, Bastareaud and (to my opinion) Giteau are not well known to make passes.

I sure hope they don't constrain the instinct in Beale's play.

We lose 2 internationals a year for 4 years, I think.

There are enough Ex-Pats O/S to call on for all the Australian provinces to make up some solid teams. Lindommer has some extenive knowledge of these O/S players. Surely we can draw on these players somehow??

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/forum/showwiki/Australian rugby troubadours 2009 10

Seeing as the Tahs haven't signed Mowen for next year, the Rebels should be having a very close look at him.

Now they have secured JOC for next year flyhalf is no longer a problem. They whole backline looks pretty set with a good mix of long and short kicking games, as well as the running games of Beale and O'Connor. I think Vuna is a defensive liability and it remains to be seen if he can adapt to rugby, he might still get there.

As I said above, rebels need forwards and I would expect them to sign either Mowen or Elsom as they need a blindside who is a lineout option. They are also going to have to take a punt on a lock as australia seems to have limited depth in that position, especially with Chis, O'Connor and Timani on the way out.

If they sort out the coaching situation they have a team that on paper should be close to making the 6 next season.

I reckon Saffy is the long term 7 for the Rebels, as he gets more experience his scavenging will improve. Lipman will only be there another year or two. I'd be trying to hand onto Somerville for as long as possible and making him the cornerstone of my pack, along with Ged Robinson. I know they're both internationals, but if I were the Rebels I'd be using the full length of my special dispensations on them. All in all we don't have enough top line Australian Super rugby players yet to have 5 competitive teams - so I think a few Aus teams will be struggling to round out their squads with suitable players - we can see this a bit with the backs in the Force and Aus forwards (and backs this year) in the Rebels.

Will Beale really play flyhalf like the rumours have suggested? We can only hope than he stays at fullback. Would love to see Beale at 15 and J'OC given time to develop at 10. Huxley and Mortlock won't have long left, Gerrard maybe not either, but you can fill in other spots from Kingi, Inman, Vuna, Sipa, Betham, etc into the future, plus a few other young inside backs that they can find.

My suggested Rebels 30 for next year including a few suggested signings (highlighted):

Outside backs:
Peter Betham, Mitch Inman, Mark Gerrard, Cooper Vuna, JP Du Plessis, Afusipa Taumoepeau

Inside backs:
Nick Phipps, Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Richard Kingi,
Stirling Mortlock, Jono Lance, James Hilgendorf

Backrow:
Rocky Elsom, Michael Lipman, Gareth Delve, Jarrod Saffy, Tom Chamberlain, Tim Davidson

Locks:
Hugh Pyle; Luke Jones; Alistair Campbell; Hugh McMemiman

Front row:
Ged Robinson, Laurie Weeks, Rodney Blake, Heath Tessman, An Argie Prop, A Nother Hooker

Gone:
Luke Rooney
Kevin O'Neill
Sam Cordingley
Greg Somerville

Should be cut (if they're not on fixed contract):
Adam Byrnes
Hoani Macdonald
Nic Henderson
Danny Cipriani
Lachlan Mitchell
Adam Freier
Julian Huxley

Bout fucking time

Now all they need is a defensive coach and a better skills coach.

Just throwing out a possible Rebels 2012 Line Up ;

15. K Beale
14. P Betham
13. M Inman
12. J O'Connor
11. C Vuna
10. D Cipriani
9. N Phipps
8. G Delve
7. M Lipman / H Perret (Played Rising Rebel Games in March - Not sure whos his signed with after 2011)
6. J Saffy
5. A Campbell
4. H Pyle
3. L Weeks
2. G Robinson
1. R Blake / E Aholelei (Played Rising Rebel Games)