Rebels 2012

[Athilnaur]

A cynic would say he's used to that already Blue!

 

[FiveStarStu]

fair enough but what will be the go with walkups?

Should be fine, details still to be ironed out.

 

[Dumbledore]

Get used to seeing him with no ball.

I don't know. I think the pack will go alright, it definitely won't be dominating anyone, but it should at least maintain parity. Cipriani doesn't actually have a great long passing game, he throws a fantastic short ball though. I think JOC (James O'Connor) will see quite a bit of it.

 

[Ash]

Still, the weakness for the Rebels will be their pack, not their backline. That, and they need to get their defensive structures sorted.

edit: Meant to say, if I was playing the Rebels I'd attack the pack to stop the backline, as that looks easier than shutting down any one or two or their starts (J'OC, Beale, etc).

 

[Bowside]

Rebels front row of weeks, robinson and blake should hold it own. If I was you lads I'd be more worried about the backrow.

 

[SuperGrover]

Rebels front row of weeks, robinson and blake should hold it own. If I was you lads I'd be more worried about the backrow.

There was some talk of securing the services of James Haskell. With Saffy and Delve, I would think that back row would be able to hold its own.

 

[tigerland12]

I actually think the line-out is a massive issue. Having no quality experienced lock is tough, especially when it would benefit young up and comers Pyle and Jones. Al Campbell and O'Neil are decent players but not the leading second rower you want.

This isn't helped by Saffy, Lipman and Delve not being ideal line out options.

Hugh Pyle needs to step up at line out time this year, and I really hope he does.

 

[Lee Grant]

I don't think young Hugh has to step up too much compared to what he did this year, but I think I know what you mean: that he should become a more dominant figure and be called more.

If I was playing the Rebels I'd attack the pack to stop the backline, as that looks easier than shutting down any one or two or their stars (J'OC, Beale, etc).

Opponents of the Wallabies at the RWC would have agreed with this idea. The Wobs backs were not allowed to fire too many shots and their flyhalf had no space or time to work with.

 

[fatprop]

Rebels front row of weeks, robinson and blake should hold it own. If I was you lads I'd be more worried about the backrow.

do you really think Blake is the answer at LHP? Unless Blake has got a hell of a lot fitter I think Henderson will start

 

[James Buchanan]

I actually think the line-out is a massive issue. Having no quality experienced lock is tough, especially when it would benefit young up and comers Pyle and Jones. Al Campbell and O'Neil are decent players but not the leading second rower you want.

This isn't helped by Saffy, Lipman and Delve not being ideal line out options.

Hugh Pyle needs to step up at line out time this year, and I really hope he does.

Campbell was pretty decent last year. O'Neil has retired.

Going by all reports regarding James King, his recent recruitment to the Rebels may prove to address some of the problems. One of the articles I was reading about him described him as "Isaac Ross but with grunt." At 24-25, he is still relatively young but does have ITM and some Super Rugby experience. Its not an old hard head, but it may do in the absence of one. I will certainly be interested to see if he can force his way into the starting XV; if so, I suspect that the second row will become less of an issue for the Rebels.

They probably could do with another outstanding lineout jumper in the back-row, but Delve is at least serviceable in that regard.

 

[TOCC]

i guess all that about Vuna not been at the club in 2012 was a furphy

Pre-Season training
http://a1.sphotos.AK (Andrew Kellaway).fbcdn.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-snc7/303757_279588902081675_123392057701361_897935_896510558_n.jpg

 

[TOCC]

has this been posted??

2012 Core Playing Squad (alphabetical order)

1. Paul Alo-Emile *
2. Kurtley Beale *
3. Rodney Blake
4. Adam Byrnes
5. Alister Campbell
6. Danny Cipriani
7. Tom Chamberlain
8. Tim Davidson
9. Gareth Delve
10. Adam Freier
11. Mark Gerrard
12. Nic Henderson
13. James Hilgendorf
14. Julian Huxley
15. Mitch Inman *
16. Lloyd Johansson *
17. Luke Jones
18. James King *
19. Richard Kingi
20. Michael Lipman
21. Lachlan Mitchell
22. Stirling Mortlock
23. James O’Connor *
24. Nick Phipps
25. Hugh Pyle
26. Ged Robinson
27. Jarrod Saffy
28. Heath Tessmann
29. Cooper Vuna
30. Laurie Weeks



2012 Extended Playing Squad (EPS)

1. Eddie Aholelei *
2. Luke Holmes
3. Isaiah Mosese *
4. Cadeyrn Neville *
5. Nick Stirzaker *

 

[light]

What are the asterix's for TOCC?

I like the look of that squad, will be interesting to see where Lloyd Johansson is at these days. Pigs will be lacking a bit of size but the back-line should be electric, really interested in Pyle and Alo-Emile developing.. Cipriani + Vuna + O'Connor + Mortlock + Beale sounds quite tasty.


IMO they'll beat the Force and Brumbies, mid-low table finish.

 

[TOCC]

Asterisks is new to the squad for 2012

 

[Inside Shoulder]

How old is stirzaker?
I thought I saw him playing at school last year?

 

[RugbyReg]

Betham gone. Anyone know where to?

 

[qwerty51]

How old is stirzaker?
I thought I saw him playing at school last year?

'09 schoolboys and then had a gap year in 2010. So probably 20

 

[James Buchanan]

Overall, I am happy with where the Rebels are at this year with recruitment. Given the situation that was inevitable in 2010, they have done a great job in starting to forge the team into where they want to be. Obviously, there's the big name pick ups in JOC (James O'Connor) and KB (Kurtley Beale), but I am equally excited about the recruitment of Inman.

I am also very glad to see that they are looking at the future with PAE.

 

[Lee Grant]

i guess all that about Vuna not been at the club in 2012 was a furphy

I looked at the website the other day and didn't twig that he was still in the squad.

It was hard to assess the Rebels this time last year and not a lot easier to do so now for 2012. I remember writing about 12 months ago that the new team had a lot of experienced players which would be better at a new franchise to get a team established rather than too many young ones. But I thought they wouldn't be as mobile as if they had more youngsters in the mix.

There was truth in that, but what I didn't count on was the poor defence of the backs that leaked try after try game after game.

Looking at the side again, there are still too many B players in it, and if they are good on attack they are Bs on defence. Perhaps it is best to look at the changes in the team:

In:
K. Beale.
JOC (James O'Connor)
M. Inman
J. King
PAE
L. Johansson

Out:
P. Betham
L. Rooney
JP du Plessis
A. Taumoepeau
S. Cordingley
G. Somerville
H. McDonald
K. O. O'Neill

[There are 30 contracted for 2011 and were 32 in 2011]

Shaking the tea leaves, the loss of Somerville is massive. The recruitment of PAE is a long term thing and won't have much effect in 2012. Eddie A in the EPS will be an offset to this if there are injuries and he is as good as I think he he may be at the pro level. The backup hooking situation will be stronger if Freir is healthy. The two locks won't be missed with King there and the outstanding prospect Neville available in the EPS.

The use of Kingi as a backup for Phipps is a plus as is Inman instead of Zipper. I have no clue how Big Loyd will go.

Beale and JOC (James O'Connor) instead of Betham and Rooney is a huge plus. These fellows will spice up the attack which means that the Rebels incessant kicking strategy should be shelved. More importantly these two, plus Inman, when he is on the park, will put some defensive starch into the backline which will help Mortlock, who was sometimes a Lone Ranger in 2011.

It should be better with the two Wob guns despite losing Somerville, but let's see.


Not to the point of the thread directly but if folks want to look at the Rebels EPS player Mosese, he played for Oz Schools v NZ Schools a few weeks ago and a 1hr broadcast will be shown on FoxSports at 2pm 1 November and replayed at 1am on Thurs. 3 November.

He didn't get much ball, but he looked handy.

 

[James Buchanan]

I agree with your assessment Lee. The big loss is Somerville. If they could have gotten one more year out of the old warhorse, it would have been significant.

However, as you have alluded to it seems like they are recruiting for the future now, rather than the makeshift team they put together when they entered the comp.