en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
Really, all I was saying is he'd progressed surprisingly fast. I'm really surprised this has become a talking point.
Melbourne Rebels 2011
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Really, all I was saying is he'd progressed surprisingly fast. I'm really surprised this has become a talking point.
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
Post WC he would be terrific, presuming he progresses at the rate he is now, but there would have to be a tactical change from the 2 5/8 way they play now.
C
CanadianRugby
Guest
Really want to get to the bottom of the player with those good runs in the highlight video. Are people convinced its Betham? Or maybe Taumoepeau? Also haven´t heard much about Rooney. Any word on how he is performing. I´ve only seen a few clips of him, very small sample, but haven´t been impressed.
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tranquility
Guest
Would someone be able to post the link to this video, my limited internet skills have failed me once again and I wouldn't mind watching the highlights.
here it is gents, this is just a general link of all the videos on the rebels site.
http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/Team/Video/tabid/277/language/en-AU/Default.aspx
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tranquility
Guest
Just watched the video, definitely betham making those incisions at the end of the game, looked very lively against some perhaps tired defenders didn't he? That was the first snippet I had seen of Vuna playing rugby, he has the rare ability to beat people in traffic with footwork. I think this kid will do fine, just fine.
stoff
Phil Hardcastle (33)
Definitely Betham. Taumoepeau was wearing 11 as far as I can tell from the small amount of footage of him. Sifa wasn't clean shaven, Betham was, which you can confirm from the fan photos on the Rebels facebook page. No idea on Rooney though.
C
CanadianRugby
Guest
Betham seems to have one wing spot nailed now then. He looks pretty devasting even if it was against a exhausted defense. Between Vuna and Betham that would be a handful for any D.
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tranquility
Guest
Yeah I don't know alot about him, but I would imagine there must be some frailties in his game considering it has taken this long for a senior contract after a glittering schoolboy career? or are we to say that was purely political in Tah land? either way, he looks a prospect.
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
I'm not close to the action, but my recollection is that both Nadolo and Betham could not get a run mainly because of Hickey's totally conservative selection policies, not because of politics. The policy was to play the first team only until they got injured and then get them back on early so the injury would be aggravated. No use of rotation for resting so anyone in the back-up squad had little chance of getting a run. At the end of last season Hickey made noises about how important it would be to rotate this year in the new format, but after what happened last year talk is cheap.
Nadolo has turned out to be a bit of a turkey when he went to France so maybe some will say the selectors knew what they were doing, but if that's the case why was he in the squad? I'm glad Betham is getting his chance this year, he did some stunning running in the trials at the Tahs last year and you don't make Uni firsts without some level of skill (cue Carter haters). This year we went and bought Pakalani from over the ditch and he looks to have potential, but its a piss-poor situation when you ignore potential in your own backyard and then buy someone in from overseas. I can see John Grant being successful at another franchise soon too.
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
IIRC, Betham started out at the Brumbies, but was always injured. He wasn't long at the Tahs, I thought, but looked good in trials. Nadolo unfortunately never did enough at the Tahs to show why he should get a shot. They were always unlikely to get a run once Beale shone at fullback anyway, as there was also Anesi warming the bench.
Dumbledore
Dick Tooth (41)
He's definitely a Wallaby hopeful for the future, though the WC will come too soon for him I fear.
If that was Betham in the video, he has to start. Huxley will take fullback, not sure who gets the other wing spot, although as long as it isn't Mitchell I'll be happy.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Pete was pretty impressive at Viking Park in the trial against the Brumbies too. IIRR he wasn't in the Tahs stable then but these performances got him into a few Junior Waratahs games and he didn't shine in them. He looked very slow in my eyes but maybe he had a niggle.
As Ash said earlier: he was with the Brumbies and was injured a bit and truth be known his leg wasn't right in his last year of school either though he made the Oz Schools team and played pretty well despite that.
I hope he does nail down a spot and can stay uninjured. In form and at top pace, if he has it these days, he was a fine player at Joeys and a terrific broken field runner. I'm typing this out as though he is an old timer but he was born on the same day as his Joeys' team mate Gilbert Beale.
I can see why folks are making negative comments about Lachie Mitchell's defence from that clip. Not a good look. My first look at Vuna as a union player too. Looks Nonu-esque.
Dumbledore
Dick Tooth (41)
I'd say so, he's an older head in what is otherwise quite a young backline. He's definitely a stable option, will probably be looking to link with Betham or DuPlessis (sp?) rather than counterattacking himself. Starting backline will probably be:
9. Phipps
10. Cipriani
11. Betham
12. Vuna
13. Mortlock
14. DuPlessis
15. Huxley
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