Rebels v Bulls - 2011R13

[Rebel rouser]

Not a good night for us. Well done Bulls, you had the killer instinct to stick the knife in and twist...

...even if that knife was handed to you on a silver platter by Pollock! Terrible decision at 24 mins that essentially shredded any semblance of competitiveness from the match. 30 players on the field saw that knock, wtf was Pollock watching? There was no coming back in the first half after that, Rebels were understandably completely shell shocked.

Silver lining is that in the second half, when we finally regained composure, it was 7-7. Pity we didn't take any of the penalty kicks for goal or we'd probably have won the half at least.

 

[Gnostic]

The Rebels have a problem starting the game. Maybe they should get to the field and play a curtain raiser, or at least 40 minutes before the main event. Each week they seem to only really start playing in the second half.

At this point Macqueen needs to think left field for the last game this year and put Kingi at 10. Huxley is extremely limitted but his consistant boot can help them at 15. At 10 he is just stifling.

 

[WB3]

My thoughts;

I only watched the first half. The call for the try referred to in the OP was woeful, and the Rebels were perhaps unlucky that the first try came against the run of play but in the end their defence (particularly out wide and chasing kicks) was woeful.

Kingi was a shining light in attack. I really rate him.

There were some moments of terrible ill-discipline right when the Rebels didn't need it as well. The number 6 coming from blatantly offside from a ruck about 5 metres out from their line being one example.

Ultimately the Rebels weren't helped, but didnt help themselves either. The Bulls were by far superior in nearly every facet of play.

 

[Blue]

Alarming to me that the Bulls switched off at half time. Previous vintages would have put on another 40. That's the difference right now. That killer edge is all but gone.

 

[Lee Grant]

Sorry to be a pain but please don't indicate the result of a game in the thread title.

I don't have time to watch all the games from Super Rugby and Europe on the weekend so I tend not to visit the Rugby Discussion forum until I do - but sometimes I can't help myself and have a look at the titles to see if there is some news that I can pick to read. It was lucky I saw the game a few hours ago. Would have been my fault if I hadn't - I realise I am being precious.

Yeah it was ugly in the 1st half, and not for the first time. I didn't pick this at the beginning of the season as I thought that the preponderance of experienced players would counter the problem of strangers playing together. I thought they would flag in the 2nd half of games because they were older, not struggle in the 1st.

So much for nice theories.

One thing I was right about before the start of the season was the lack of speed in the outside backs as a group. Kingi looks pretty quick but most of the others are below the average and some, like Gerrard, are downright slow.

I postulated that the Rebels should get some of the Qld. Schools back 3 players from fairly recent years because there was not enough room for all of them at home.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were one or two recruited for next year though I don't know the length of contracts for some of the Rebels and there may not be room for players who wear the high numbered jerseys.

Not quite to the point but it is well that an old stager like Macqueen is at the helm as the inept performance of the Rebels in some games this year may have discombobulated a new coach.

 

[RedsHappy]

Great to see the non-patronising support for the Rebels' path forward from Frans Ludeke:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/r...melbourne-rebels/story-e6frfgkf-1226056358032

And he's so right - Macqueen and co have done a great job in building a competitive side from a necessarily disparate mosaic. All the positive leadership and Board qualities are there for the Rebels to achieve growth and some success in 2012-13. If so, it will be hugely good for Aus rugby.