Rebels 2012

[Dumbledore]

Has to be King Dick surely?

 

[elementfreak]

We are definitely on the improve, although we need to learn how to close out those tight games. When we do that we will be moving up the ladder IMO.

I am not sure if anyone saw the Rising Rebels v Norths game last Sunday but a couple of the 17 year olds in the Rising side looked to goods. Especially the 12.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Presumably we have the following Vacancies next year
Number 8 - Delve likely gone - Leroy Houston? over in bordeaux and probably not getting as much time as he'd like in the number 8 jumper given captain Matty Clarke (great bloke) wears 8.
Number 7 - Lipman? to be replaced by Saffy I would assume leaving us with a back row of Saffy, Davidson, Chamberlain, Jones....we'll need to recruit two back rowers either to start or to back up. I will throw out Adam Kleeberger the Canadian. I think he'd be a great value buy as a back up and suits super rugby
10 - Cipriani gone - JOC (James O'Connor) to 10? Lealifano? I personally don't want us to bother with QC (Quade Cooper). we have enough high profile backs at the moment and could spend the money on a few other players. other thoughts?
13 - Mortlock - replaced by Inman but might need another centre back up as Johannson hasn't looked incredible.
Turnstile - Huxley - anyone will do (better)

I think we have two good wingers in Vuna and Mitchell. This is probably gerrard's last year of slotting onto the wing as he'll only get a bit slower. so we probably need another back up winger....i realise i'm looking forward to 2013, but they should obviously start recruiting now.

looking forward to friday. blustery and wet.
HEY HO...LET'S GO

 

[en_force_er]

Presuming the Rebels lose only Delve and Cipps I believe that means we can't include any more foreigners. But since I've read no ARU directive on the matter for a while, let's do some speculating!

I very recently (yesterday) wrote an article for the Roar (great website but probably doesn't have the same quality of user as Gagger) where I listed some players that might be good in Super rugby.

The article is called "Fifteen players who should play Super Rugby" and you can find it here. The blokes I suggested were:

1. Soane Tonga’uiha (Tonga)
2. Yusuke Aoki (Japan)
3. Tom Court (Ireland)
4. Julio Farías Cabello (Argentina)
5. Joe Tekori (samoa)
6. Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia)
7. Michael Leitch (Japan)
8. Robert Barbieri (Italy)
9. Ben Spencer (England)
10. Duncan Weir (Scotland)
11. Simon Zebo (Ireland)
12. Albert VuliVuli (Fiji)
13. Tommaso Benvenuti (Italy)
14. D.T.H. van der Merwe (Canada)
15. James So’oialo (Samoa)

For the reasons I picked those blokes or who they are consult the article, wikipedia or youtube.

Others realistic semi-realistic* options being floated in the comments include:
Chauncey O’Toole (Canadian Loosey), Fumiaki Tanaka (Japanese Halfback), Victor Gresev (Russian No.8), and
Andrei Ostrikov (Russian 2nd Rower).

*Obviously young up-and-comer England Number 8 Ben Morgan who has just signed a deal is for example unrealistic. As is an incredibly expensive option like Jamie Roberts.

 

[FiveStarStu]

We all feeling better up in here given Friday's result? Was good to see the Stockade pumping for the first real time this year.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

indeed.
I was stunned at huxley's form in the game compared to the previous week. he was an entirely different player.

This could be a watershed moment for the team. they have proven to themselves that they don't need JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale in the squad to score tries and to win games.

If we have Inman, JOC (James O'Connor), Beale and Kingi back as suggested for the highlanders game, I see it a distinct possibility that we could win. Danny stayed on awhile after this injury so there could be every chance he's available as well. I assume everyone in the forward back is still fit and will suggest that shouldn't change a bit. Blake is looking very strong coming off the bench.

so backs
Kingi
Cipriani (he played his best game for us yet on the weekend and it was only 20 minutes)
Vuna (still looks like he's just a few inches from busting through for some big breaks)
JOC (James O'Connor)
Inman/Gerrard
Gerrard/Mitchell
Beale

I would have a hard time demoting one of gerrard, mitchell and vuna at the moment, so perhaps we will see Beale come off the bench to open things up in the second half (if fit)

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Presuming the Rebels lose only Delve and Cipps I believe that means we can't include any more foreigners. But since I've read no ARU directive on the matter for a while, let's do some speculating!

I very recently (yesterday) wrote an article for the Roar (great website but probably doesn't have the same quality of user as Gagger) where I listed some players that might be good in Super rugby.

The article is called "Fifteen players who should play Super Rugby" and you can find it here. The blokes I suggested were:

6. Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia)
- he's great, but I think he is much better suited to the northern game where the season is a bit wet and the pace a bit slower. he is a very very very large man and I'm not sure he'd be up to the pace of super rugby
8. Robert Barbieri (Italy)
- dissapointingly Rob played u-19 for canada but left for Italy to get better quality games. he would be of great use in the canadian jersey. He is fairly entrenched in the italian league and the italian team so it would be hard to see him giving that up.

14. D.T.H. van der Merwe (Canada)
- he's regrettably in the first year of a three year contract with glasgow so he won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Chauncey is at the Ospreys, granted only on a one year deal and probably not for too much $$. Would be interesting, he's very mobile but I am not sure he's a top quality flanker. I think kleeberger was a better flank for canada.

 

[wamberal]

If Beale is fit to run onto the field at all, he really should start, I would have thought.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

We all feeling better up in here given Friday's result? Was good to see the Stockade pumping for the first real time this year.

third post in a row - bam

the crowds are pretty average small thus far when compared to last year. I am hoping and expecting this will pick up for the Blues game and the Crusaders game - the bulls match should attract a decent crowd as well.

Has the army lost a few members this year? you guys looked smaller on friday night - though the weather was pretty horrid.

but yes agreed - the crowd, though only 11,000, was very noisy and right into the game. it was great atmosphere and sounded and felt like closer to 20,000

 

[tigerland12]

Gorgodzilla or Greesev would be great low price signings. The two minow stand-outs of the WC

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

If Beale is fit to run onto the field at all, he really should start, I would have thought.

i'd think so too. a tough coaching decision. but he has been out for awhile, so i could see the coach wanting to give him a shorter stint on the field.

 

[kronic]

I'm cautious about rushing back certain players for the Clan, due to the travel time (8 hours) involved.

 

[FiveStarStu]

Has the army lost a few members this year? you guys looked smaller on friday night - though the weather was pretty horrid.

Not really, we're pretty much batting at our average this year. Full bays for the first two and half/0.75 bay against the Force, actually more than what we got last year.

I don't really want to blame the weather, because results would have played a part, but I reckon Thursday will see a good turnout, especially if they put up a good showing against the Highlanders.

 

[FiveStarStu]

i'd think so too. a tough coaching decision. but he has been out for awhile, so i could see the coach wanting to give him a shorter stint on the field.

Start him and prepare Hux for a half-time swap, similar to how we brought Saffy back.

 

[SuperGrover]

Gorgodzilla or Greesev would be great low price signings. The two minow stand-outs of the WC

Gorgodze would be anything but a low-price signing. The top 14 can pay very well and he only recently signed another contract with Montpellier despite having agreed a pre-contract deal with Toulon.

If Toulon were in the game and he turned them down you'd think money wasn't the motivating factor. He must be more than happy with what he's already getting.

 

[Dumbledore]

If Cipriani is given the week off to get his hamstring right, I wouldn't mind Beale having a shot at flyhalf. He spent a lot of time there against the Crusaders in the trial and looked good, while JOC (James O'Connor) was poor against the Cheetahs.

 

[Braveheart81]

If Cipriani had played the whole game I think you guys would have won by 40 points.

He was absolutely carving the Force up. The timing of his passes was just superb.

I have never seen him play remotely close to that.

 

[elementfreak]

If Cipriani had played the whole game I think you guys would have won by 40 points.

He was absolutely carving the Force up. The timing of his passes was just superb.

I have never seen him play remotely close to that.

Hopefully he can do it again this week (if he is playing of course).

 

[FiveStarStu]

If Cipriani had played the whole game I think you guys would have won by 40 points.

He was absolutely carving the Force up. The timing of his passes was just superb.

I have never seen him play remotely close to that.

Played like a man with the weight of the world off his shoulders. I think announcing the signing has done him a world of good.

 

[Dumbledore]

I have never seen him play remotely close to that.

See if you can find a copy of the game he played against Ireland a while back, before he destroyed his ankle - absolutely slayed.