Rebels 2013

[Bardon]

Some news on where Delve might be playing next year. It's a pity the Rebels aren't allowed to offer him another contract as he seems very conflicted and would probably re-sign in a heartbeat.

Gareth Delve admits talks with French club Toulon
Gareth Delve has revealed he is in talks with French club Toulon but says no final decision has been made on where he will play next season.

The Wales number eight is captain of Super 15 outfit the Melbourne Rebels in Australia.

Delve, who was a part of Wales' Grand Slam squad in 2008, has been linked with a move to French rugby's big spenders for next season.

"It's still a decision I am mulling over," said Delve.

"I have been speaking to Toulon for a long time now and they are a fantastic club and seem to be getting even stronger.

"But at this point in time there is not too much I can say either way.

"It's a huge a decision for me and my partner and we are weighing things up."

The Welshman has been linked with Toulon, who are in the Top 14 play-offs and were the Amlin Challenge Cup finalists, for the last few months.

Delve could join fellow Welsh international, Gethin Jenkins, England's World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson and Aussie playmaker Matt Giteau at Toulon.

The 29-year-old has been playing his trade in Australia for the last two seasons and has become a firm favourite with the Rebels.

The 11-times capped Welsh international, who played for Bath and Gloucester in the English Premiership, became the first non Australian to captain an Australian Super Rugby side.

But Delve, who admits he has been talking to a host of clubs, dimissed any suggestion that he has signed a deal with Toulon.

"At this point in time, it's not done and dusted," said Delve.

"Myself and my girlfriend have a fair bit of thinking to do, along with my family.

"Hopefully, it will be concluded pretty soon and I can get back to thinking about rugby again.

"At this point there is just the one offer, but I am considering the options.

"I have been talking for a while to a few different clubs and it's a case of working out what will be the best situation for the next couple of years.

"It's my future and about where I am going to end up and where I see myself for the next five to ten years."

 

[tigerland12]

I'm going to miss Gareth, and I'm not even a Rebels fan. He is the perfect captain and role model. Definatly someone you'd want as the face of your club.

 

[en_force_er]

http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/player/105760.html

Read this bloke's profile, he's just snuck in for a spot on the SA tour. He obviously isn't elibilble as an Aus player anymore (he's capped for the English Saxons) but it would appear he's Melbourne born.

Could he be the marquee prop that Rebels fans beg for?

 

[Bardon]

Could be wrong, but it's hard to imagine that he would want to move away from England just as he's making inroads into the national squad.

 

[ellabroz]

I'm going to miss Gareth, and I'm not even a Rebels fan. He is the perfect captain and role model. Definatly someone you'd want as the face of your club.

http://www.espnscrum.com/france-top-14-2011-12/rugby/story/164774.html

Maybe he won't leave?

 

[en_force_er]

Could be wrong, but it's hard to imagine that he would want to move away from England just as he's making inroads into the national squad.

Yeah, just making interesting conversation about a random observation.

http://www.espnscrum.com/france-top-14-2011-12/rugby/story/164774.html

Maybe he won't leave?

I think the ARU can grant extensions and if they see Higgers as a Wallaby long-term option at 6 perhaps they will.

Though I doubt they will end up doing this, between Jones and Higgers there is plenty of blokes at the Rebels who are Aussie eligible that need a crack. Also, whilst Delve is very marketable in Melbourne I doubt think he's a marquee player that adds to the earnings of the Australian conference (or league) as a whole.

What a bloke though, it makes no sense to me that he didn't even get a serious look-in for the Wales WC squad. Perhaps his lack of versatility bit him on the bum.

 

[kronic]

Apparently Lipman to Newcastle:

Newcastle Falcons talk Michael Lipman into switch

NEWCASTLE Falcons are set to complete a swoop for ex-England open-side Michael Lipman.

The ex-Bath captain, now 32, has been a Super 15 regular for Melbourne Rebels after returning to Australia two years ago.

Lipman left English rugby in 2009 after being banned for “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game” following a controversial end-of-season night out with Bath.

Alex Crockett and Andy Higgins were also suspended for nine months over the same incident, and as fate would have it all three will now be reunited at Kingston Park next season.

Lipman is currently in the process of finalising contractual details over his English return, with the move expected to be rubber-stamped within weeks.

But the athletic flank-forward has already given Newcastle a clear indication of his intent to join up with the club, who were close to tying down a deal two years ago but ultimately lost out to Melbourne.

Lipman has been a regular starter for the Rebels since returning to the land of his birth, with the Aussie-born flanker having been capped ten times for England at international level between 2004 and 2008.


A limpet at ruck time and an eager support runner in attack, he will become the ninth signing of a busy off-season for the Falcons when he puts pen to paper.

Lipman’s acquisition will also help maintain and enhance the development curve of open-side prospect Will Welch who, at the age of 22, has almost single-handedly carried the No 7 burden.

Welch was the deserved recipient of both the player and players’ player of the season awards at the club’s recent annual dinner, but will undoubtedly benefit from the seasoned experience and technical skills of his new team-mate.

In the long term Richards’ plan for the Falcons involves putting young local talent at the forefront, but with so many of the North East’s brightest prospects having left the region in recent years the former England and Lions No 8 knows he needs Premiership experience to quickly cultivate a winning mentality.

In the short term that means overseas and external signings, but the hallmark of Richards’ regimes at both Leicester and Harlequins has been to build around a trusted core of local players.

That philosophy remains firmly in place as he prepares to take the reins at Newcastle in August, even if the make-up of his nine signings so far do not necessarily bear it out.

Meanwhile, two Falcons with match action this week are Euan Murray and Taiasina Tu’ifua.

Murray’s Scotland line up against Australia in Newcastle, New South Wales, tomorrow, while Tu’ifua’s Samoa kick off their IRB Pacific Nations Cup campaign against Tonga in the Japanese city of Nagoya.


Read More http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/spor...man-into-switch-72703-31107260/#ixzz1wpCcX7Yn

 

[The Red Baron]

So if Lipman goes, how many international players would the Rebels have left on their books for next year? Would Lipman leaving allow the Rebels to cling to Delve?

 

[en_force_er]

After watching the Oz U20s I'm 100% convinced we must get Allan Faalavaau on an EPS contract (or possibly even better) next year.

He's got as much potential as any 18-20 winger in Australia and he's a local product. Don't feck this up!

So if Lipman goes, how many international players would the Rebels have left on their books for next year? Would Lipman leaving allow the Rebels to cling to Delve?

You're allowed to have an international player for 2 years unless granted exception. Nobody in the media is spitballing the idea of Delve being granted an exception and maybe they should, but then again maybe he wants to travel with his rugby.

He obviously loves Melbourne but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to go play in France, 1 hour from his family and buckets of dollars.

 

[tigerland12]

Agree enforcer, he was so dynamic and explosive. Would be a good signing.

 

[kronic]

Here here. I'll bang on about Faalaavau until his signed.

 

[elementfreak]

He is a really nice guy as well.

We need to sign him while he is available.

 

[SuperGrover]

You're allowed to have an international player for 2 years unless granted exception. Nobody in the media is spitballing the idea of Delve being granted an exception and maybe they should, but then again maybe he wants to travel with his rugby.

Pretty sure Melbourne have an exception to this "2 year" rule. Instead they have a diminishing number of foreign spots in their squad that can be filled by foreigners regardless of the length of their contract.

Speculation at the time of the Rebels inception was that it was 10 spots that would reduce by two spots per year. If true, that would mean 6 spots for 2013, one of which could be filled by Delve.

 

[kronic]

Pretty sure Melbourne have an exception to this "2 year" rule. Instead they have a diminishing number of foreign spots in their squad that can be filled by foreigners regardless of the length of their contract.

Speculation at the time of the Rebels inception was that it was 10 spots that would reduce by two spots per year. If true, that would mean 6 spots for 2013, one of which could be filled by Delve.

ARU need to sign off on any extensions it seems. Eg. Ged Robinson.

 

[en_force_er]

Pretty sure Melbourne have an exception to this "2 year" rule. Instead they have a diminishing number of foreign spots in their squad that can be filled by foreigners regardless of the length of their contract.

Speculation at the time of the Rebels inception was that it was 10 spots that would reduce by two spots per year. If true, that would mean 6 spots for 2013, one of which could be filled by Delve.

I've heard from multiple sources that the Rebs have both the '10 spots -2 per annum' rule and the '2 year' rule. I've also heard the ARU can grant dispensation to the 2 year rule on a case by case basis.

If you've heard otherwise from somebody closely involved with the Rebels or from a bigger media outlet than you're probably right but it's certainly what I'm led to believe.

 

[SuperGrover]

fair enough then. I stand corrected.

 

[en_force_er]

fair enough then. I stand corrected.

Rules like this are only dealt with by 3 or 4 guys in the back rooms of each of the franchises and not often discussed by the media, often the fans don't know what's what.

 

[FiveStarStu]

I've heard from multiple sources that the Rebs have both the '10 spots -2 per annum' rule and the '2 year' rule. I've also heard the ARU can grant dispensation to the 2 year rule on a case by case basis.

This is correct. In 2012, the Rebels are permitted to have 8 international players.

We currently have 6: Byrnes (RUS), Lipman (ENG), Delve (WAL), Robinson (NZL), King (NZL), Chamberlain (NZL).

We're not exempt to the two-year rule, but the ARU can grant an exemption, usually if there is no Australian player available to fill the role.

 

[en_force_er]

This is correct. In 2012, the Rebels are permitted to have 8 international players.

We currently have 6: Byrnes (RUS), Lipman (ENG), Delve (WAL), Robinson (NZL), King (NZL), Chamberlain (NZL).

We're not exempt to the two-year rule, but the ARU can grant an exemption, usually if there is no Australian player available to fill the role.

So all of those blokes (except Byrnes as he's only been 'Russian' for a year) have to go unless granted dispensation.

You'd say dispensation would be granted to King and Chamberlain because they're 'developing players' which at other provinces can stick around until they can be Aussies in the IRB's eyes. You'd say dispensation could, but probably won't, be granted to Delve as he certainly adds value to the franchise from a marketing perspective but with Ged and Lipman you'd say probably no dice, as talented as they are Australia is rich in hooking and openside talent.

I personally particularly like Ged but Whittaker, Siliva, Anae, Fitzpatrick, and many more are sitting on the sidelines. They're all very good and have Super rugby experience. Siliva would be great in particular as a Victorian, or even Uglia.

As far as 7s, the Tahs have McCutcheon, Alcock, and Jenkins kicking around with Hooper to come. Jenkins would probably be willing to take an EPS spot but the other two wouldn't and as such may be up for grabs.

 

[Slim 293]

I believe McCutcheon has already signed on for the Tahs.......