Mark Gerrard and Michael Lipman sign on for Melbourne Rebels
* Wayne Smith, Rugby union editor
* From: The Australian
* May 25, 2010 12:00AM
THE Melbourne Rebels yesterday added Wallabies fullback Mark Gerrard and England flanker Michael Lipman to their Super 15 playing roster and are poised to grab a third Test star, prop Rodney Blake.
Gerrard's management confirmed to The Australian that the former Brumbies and Waratahs utility, who played 23 Tests between 2005 and the 2007 World Cup, would sign with the Rebels for his 10th season of Super rugby. The 28-year-old arguably was the form fullback in Super 14 last year, but opted to join Japanese club NTT Communications when it became evident he did not figure in Wallabies coach Robbie Deans's plans.
Since then, Australia has sprouted a new crop of exciting young fullbacks, while another new Rebels signing, Julian Huxley, has further complicated the selection race by making an astounding comeback from a brain tumour.
But none of that is deterring Gerrard who is hoping to ride the wave of enthusiasm building behind the Rebels all the way into the 2011 World Cup squad. Given that his 2007 cup campaign lasted only seconds before he suffered a devastating knee injury, he surely will not be lacking in motivation.
Nor will Bayonne-based Blake, who for a short time in 2006 became a cult figure in Australian rugby as "Rodzilla", the amazingly mobile 125kg tighthead. But injuries played havoc with his build-up to the last World Cup and after failing to make the squad he left for France in 2008.
Blake reportedly has risen to 135kg, but if he can take a leaf out of the book of former Queensland teammate Leroy Houston, who is half the man, but twice the player, this year after shedding a lot of weight in the off-season, he could yet prove a valuable addition to the Rebels.
Australian-raised England flanker Lipman certainly promises to be all of that after vowing yesterday to repay the Rebels tenfold for their perseverance in breaking down Australian Rugby Union resistance to him joining the club.
Lipman earlier this year completed a nine-month suspension for refusing to take a hair follicle test in the aftermath of the end-of-season drug scandal that rocked Bath in 2009.
But when the Rebels in March attempted to sign the 10-Test veteran, they found their path blocked by the ARU, which refused to grant him a clearance. No explanation was given, other than that Lipman did not meet the criteria for admission.
The Rebels' then chief executive Brian Waldron announced that the matter was closed, but it is understood new Melbourne boss, Pat Wilson, quietly has worked with his successor as ARU high performance manager, David Nucifora, to negotiate Lipman's clearance.
The St Joseph's-educated player was ecstatic that his rugby career, which looked like petering out in the Sydney club competition, has been given a new lease of life.
"A lot of patience was shown by the Rebels coaches and management," Lipman said. "They could easily have walked away from me. But they fought the fight in my corner and I am very thankful for that. I'll be paying them back tenfold. That's all I can do.
"I also have to thank my family and close friends for sticking by me over the past year."
The ARU's decision to allow him to take up one of the Rebels' 10 foreign player spots means Lipman finally can put the Bath scandal behind him. "I used to brood about it every day for the past 12 months, but that book is now closed for me and an exciting new chapter is just beginning," he said.
