Rebels 2018

[KevinO]

^^^Super Rugby title might influence him to stay.

 

[daz]

This really pisses me off,

1) It's another good prop gone to NZ from Aus
2) And more importantly - It's another prop that the Rebels have lost overseas. Smith, PAE and not Lomax. But hey the ARU said we have no depth in Aus Rugby. Well that's 3 good props at Super Rugby level they failed to keep in Oz.

Yeah, although to be fair to the ARU, Tobes for family reasons and PAE because he wanted more moolah than he was worth in Oz.

I don't know why Lomax went, if it was family then nothing could have been done about it. Likewise if he wants to try being an All-Black. But the key is he is not an AB yet!

 

[Mr Wobbly]

This really pisses me off,

1) It's another good prop gone to NZ from Aus
2) And more importantly - It's another prop that the Rebels have lost overseas. Smith, PAE and not Lomax. But hey the ARU said we have no depth in Aus Rugby. Well that's 3 good props at Super Rugby level they failed to keep in Oz.

Add Pyle and Jones to that list and there's the making of a pretty decent tight five.

 

[Rebels3]

I had hopes of seeing an Australian front row in 3/4 years time being

Tupou/Vui - Uelese - Lomax

Add to that a second row of

Coleman - Arnold/Rodda

Tui at 6

Hooper at 7

and the 8 duties shared by McMahon/Naisarani

Hanigan off the bench to fill lock and 6 at a pinch

Would of been potentially the best pack we have had in a long time and capable of fighting fire with fire, plus being a very good scrum.

 

[Rebels3]

Yeah, although to be fair to the ARU, Tobes for family reasons and PAE because he wanted more moolah than he was worth in Oz.

I don't know why Lomax went, if it was family then nothing could have been done about it. Likewise if he wants to try being an All-Black. But the key is he is not an AB yet!

Smith i'd love for the ARU to call up, just basically to shake the dynamic up with the eligibility rules over there. We need to send a deterrent to the NZRU (not that they are doing anything wrong) to sign our players.

We also still have a year left to try and put the hard word on Lomax and see if he will bite if given the chance to play at international level. Could see a dramatic turn around in NZ looking at players in our system if we are prepared to select within the same comp.

On the TPN issue, i am happy for him to go overseas. He's earn't it. Hopefully he will look at re-engaging with Bristol and playing in the Premiership, so he is still exposed to a high level.

 

[Braveheart81]

This really pisses me off,

1) It's another good prop gone to NZ from Aus
2) And more importantly - It's another prop that the Rebels have lost overseas. Smith, PAE and not Lomax. But hey the ARU said we have no depth in Aus Rugby. Well that's 3 good props at Super Rugby level they failed to keep in Oz.

As bigger loss and McMahon and Gill to Aus rugby i believe. We should of capped him in June but went for Robertson and drafted Ainsley into the squad instead.

A dynamic prop, with the ability to get around the park, soft hands and scrummages like a beast.

Time we fire back with trying to entice AAT brother back over, surely he would rather play side by side with his brother than the All Blacks.

The story around Lomax is that he was drafted into Cheika's first Wallaby meetings this year but then withdrew because he wanted to move back to New Zealand and hopefully represent the All Blacks.

 

[Tex]

I don't think I can find the words to express how distraught I am at Lomax's defection. The comments that "we have lots of other good options" just do not understand how good Lomax is going to be and how valuable a tight head prop is to the team. I had Lomax pencilled in for the world cup squad and the foundation of the Wallaby scrum in the twenties. Now he'll end up in the Black Hole.

Not a great day for Australian Rugby!

Mate I'm still grieving Alo-Emile heading to France. More cash spent on pigs and less on over-the-hill halfbacks!

 

[Tex]

Or league wingers while they learn how to play rugby. What a load of crap. Honestly we should take a leaf straight out of the Kiwi play book re. talented islander players and cap up and comers quickly and ruthlessly.

 

[Slim 293]

I don't think I can find the words to express how distraught I am at Lomax's defection. The comments that "we have lots of other good options" just do not understand how good Lomax is going to be and how valuable a tight head prop is to the team. I had Lomax pencilled in for the world cup squad and the foundation of the Wallaby scrum in the twenties. Now he'll end up in the Black Hole.

Not a great day for Australian Rugby!

As a Canberran and Brumbies supporter I was pissed when he left to join the Rebels, but we already had a few good TH's (including another local)...........

But this is faaaaaaaaaarked.

 

[Ruggo]

Why would a player want to stay rather than go over to NZ? He will now be in a program of the Quality we don't offer.

We can complain or we can actually do something to raise national standards. Sadly we are going in the wrong direction.

They are in a position to offer success. Simple as that.

 

[KevinO]

SBS is going all out with the article headline these days,

Cheika punts on rugby rookie with bad hair

 

[Dan54]

Smith i'd love for the ARU to call up, just basically to shake the dynamic up with the eligibility rules over there. We need to send a deterrent to the NZRU (not that they are doing anything wrong) to sign our players.

Understand what you're saying Rebel, but what eligibility rules are you going to shake up? He was born to NZ parents and grew up playing League in Wellington from what I can gather. I also hearing that the approach was from Lomax,or his agent in him looking at going over.

 

[Dan54]

Yeah, although to be fair to the ARU, Tobes for family reasons and PAE because he wanted more moolah than he was worth in Oz.

I don't know why Lomax went, if it was family then nothing could have been done about it. Likewise if he wants to try being an All-Black. But the key is he is not an AB yet!

His family are there too aren't they? I am thinking that John was running a pub in Levin a couple of years ago, he was the one who actually got the kid Packer ( the one that got in trouble in Sydney)to switch to league. I do know

 

[Mr Wobbly]

SBS is going all out with the article headline these days,

Cheika punts on rugby rookie with bad hair

I prefer Jordan's haircut to Bip's

 

[Tex]

They both have rotten cuts (says I, a bald man)

 

[Rebels3]

Understand what you're saying Rebel, but what eligibility rules are you going to shake up? He was born to NZ parents and grew up playing League in Wellington from what I can gather. I also hearing that the approach was from Lomax,or his agent in him looking at going over.

Aus eligible players can play in NZ. NZ sides can pick them up all they want, but we will still be willing to pick them. This will make them think twice about investing dollars into a player that might turn around and take the opportunity with Australia. Just like this year Pete Samu and MAT would both have probably made the Wallabies squads, if we had picked them, it'd be interesting to see if the Crusaders would be prepared to see them continue to play for their teams going forward. Maybe they would? Maybe they wouldnt? Lomax apart from his fathers obvious link to NZ (a different game at that) was born in Australia, played age level Australia, received his first professional opportunity in Australia and the national team wanted him. In other words p&*s off, it'd be a different story if he was born there or got his opportunity there or had played junior levels there or the country wasn't prepared to give him an opportunity. It's probably more my frustration speaking than anything

 

[RebelYell]

Aus eligible players can play in NZ. NZ sides can pick them up all they want, but we will still be willing to pick them. This will make them think twice about investing dollars into a player that might turn around and take the opportunity with Australia. Just like this year Pete Samu and MAT would both have probably made the Wallabies squads, if we had picked them, it'd be interesting to see if the Crusaders would be prepared to see them continue to play for their teams going forward. Maybe they would? Maybe they wouldnt? Lomax apart from his fathers obvious link to NZ (a different game at that) was born in Australia, played age level Australia, received his first professional opportunity in Australia and the national team wanted him. In other words p&*s off, it'd be a different story if he was born there or got his opportunity there or had played junior levels there or the country wasn't prepared to give him an opportunity. It's probably more my frustration speaking than anything

Hasn't deterred them from signing Digby Ioane, or Nemani Nadolo & Ben Volavola in the past...

 

[Rebels3]

Hasn't deterred them from signing Digby Ioane, or Nemani Nadolo & Ben Volavola in the past.

As i stated, "it'd be a different story if he was born there or got his opportunity there or had played junior levels there or the country wasn't prepared to give him an opportunity"

Volavola wasn't wanted
Nadolo insanely wasn't wanted
and Digby had basically retired from int rugby.

Im not saying they can't sign them, they can do what they like. But we need to show them, that we are prepared to benefit and use their system to our advantage if they are. As one of their main 'rivals', i truly believe this could change the dynamic

 

[barbarian]

Why would a player want to stay rather than go over to NZ? He will now be in a program of the Quality we don't offer.

We can complain or we can actually do something to raise national standards. Sadly we are going in the wrong direction.

They are in a position to offer success. Simple as that.

From all accounts this isn't a development decision, it's an emotional one.

He's a Kiwi. He wants to play for the All Blacks. Isn't that fair enough?

I don't disagree we should improve our pathways and hold on to as many players as we can. But I think this is a bit different from, say, the departures of PAE or Longbottom or Mike A.
.

 

[Ruggo]

No doubt it is an emotional one. Kerr-Barlow had the same ambition. Most certainly that's fair enough. I never disputed that.