Bulls v Rebels, 12 July @ Loftus Versfeld

[Tex]

1. Toby Smith
2. Shota Horie
3. Laurie Weeks
4. Hugh Pyle
5. Cadeyrn Neville
6. Luke Jones
7. Scott Fuglistaller (Captain)
8. Colby Fainga'a
9. Luke Burgess
10. Jack Debreczeni
11. Tom English
12. Mitch Inman
13. Tamati Ellison
14. Telusa Veainu
15. Jason Woodward
16. Pat Leafa
17. Cruze Ah-Nau
18. Paul Alo-Emile
19. Lopeti Timani
20. Jordy Reid
21. Nic Stirzaker
22. Lalakai Foketi
23. Alex Rokobaro

 

[OneOrThree]

It looks like TT is a GAGR forum fan. 21 of 23 right.

if the injuries and/or suspensions pan out as likely then

woodward
veianu
ellison
inman
english
debreczeni
burgess

smith
horie
weeks
pyle
neville
jones
faainga
timani

leafa
ah-nau
PAE
big red
reid
stirzaker
foketi
rokobaro

absolutely in the poo if inman not fit, meehan on the bench as extra back or one armed fuglistaller

i think DVH may be spot on, but i love oztimmay's positive "spectatorship"

edit: ps oz i didn't think you'd ever have a half full glass

pps i do not think we will ever see pyle play for the rebels again

 

[Tex]

Concerned about the size of the backrow, Jack D starting at flyhalf and the lack of game time on the bench. Also, who steps in at 10 when Jack gets tired/injured/dragged?

It's good to see Rokobaro, Pyle and Woodward getting a final run.

Who knows, with back to the wall we might just spring a surprise. But I wouldn't be shocked if the Bulls scored twice in the first 10 minutes.

 

[Highlander35]

How can Inman back up after last week? Seriously? He didn't know he was in South Africa.

 

[qwerty51]

Not a bad idea sticking 3 locks in to counter the Bulls. I reckon the Rebels will be leading at one stage and then fall away badly in the last 20.

42-25 or some shit.

 

[swingpass]

i would have got all 23 but thought fugs was f.... !

 

[Scooter]

I am happy for Rokobaro to get one more run. Hopefully he gets a bit more game time than he did v Highlanders this year when he played 5 minutes.

 

[Scooter]

Bad news Jason Woodward can not play tonight because of a back injury. Telusa Veainu moves to full back, Alex Rokobaro on the wing and Sam Jeffries on to the bench.

So the bench is 6 forwards and 2 backs. Typifies the point people have made about the balance of the squad. With the injuries in the backs should have sent an extra back over. I hope one of our backs don't get injured early.

 

[Highlander35]

Fabulous.

Its like that game in Season 1 where we had so many injuries, while I can't remember the specifics, we ended up with something like:

9. Phipps
10. Stirling
11. Taumoepau
12. Mitchell
13. Vuna
14. Bethan
15. Rooney

It was an aberration. I'm not sure if I got the specific players right, but due to injuries to guys like Gerrard, Huxley, and Cipriani, we looked like that.

 

[oztimmay]

Bad news Jason Woodward can not play tonight because of a back injury. Telusa Veainu moves to full back, Alex Rokobaro on the wing and Sam Jeffries on to the bench.

So the bench is 6 forwards and 2 backs. Typifies the point people have made about the balance of the squad. With the injuries in the backs should have sent an extra back over. I hope one of our backs don't get injured early.

Source? Can see anything in any of the social media feeds.

If a back goes down I'd imagine Fugs or Colby would drop to centre and we'd bring on a loose. Better yet, drop smith/weeks to the wing where they belong and it will be try scoring festival.

 

[oztimmay]

Sadly, woody confirmed the bad news on twitter. On the plus side, big opportunity for big red to get some game time. Imagine the roar for the crowd when both little and big red stride on the field to win the match for the rebels?

 

[199madmave]

How can Inman back up after last week? Seriously? He didn't know he was in South Africa.

Agree. Mitch was in bad shape when he left the field. I can't believe he would have passed the concussion test. As much as we need him he should not be playing this week

 

[199madmave]

Bad news Jason Woodward can not play tonight because of a back injury. Telusa Veainu moves to full back, Alex Rokobaro on the wing and Sam Jeffries on to the bench.

So the bench is 6 forwards and 2 backs. Typifies the point people have made about the balance of the squad. With the injuries in the backs should have sent an extra back over. I hope one of our backs don't get injured early.

Gus roberts should have been on the plane with Alex and Sam. at least he has played with the team this year. I fear this is going to be ugly tonight

 

[oztimmay]

As a Rebels supporter I would have sent him over. As a Box Hill supporter I would ahve been fine too, they have a bye in Dewar shield

Like I said they have options;
You can drag a centre down to 12/13

• Tamati can play 10 and 15
• Jack D can play 15
• Rokobaro can play either 11,14 or 15
• Our props can play 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14 or even 15.

All is not lost...

 

[daz]

My final preview for 2014 is up.

No laughs here. It's all a bit bitter.

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/bulls-v-rebels/

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

Nice work Daz, even your bitter and jaded preview is an enjoyable read.

This is the first match in some time I've had zero hope for, let them put us to the sword and let's start up the blind optimism for next year again in a few months.

 

[Highlander35]

No where near enough blind optimism in this thread.

Rebels scrum to dominate the Bulls, creating 6 penalty tries,

Rebels 42- 31 Bulls.

 

[oztimmay]

Each Prop to score a double, Luke Jones to make 10 linebreaks, Mitch Inman to play at Hooker because Shota 'feels like a run out in the backs', Stirling Mortlock to answer the SOS for spare backs that results in a swandive try under the sticks, Rebels to win EVERY lineout and scrum (even when he feed isn't straight), little Red to perform a beast lifting tackle on Matfield that winds the old fella (and applauded after the game by him).

Back in mexico oztimmay to avoid getting into trouble from mrs OZT for waking up the whole house with his rapturous celebration after the Rebels bring home the bacon.

How's that work for you Highlander?

 

[Highlander35]

Awesome. We're nearly there.

 

[swingpass]

WTF are you guys smoking !