REBELS v CHIEFS Round 12

[Braveheart81]

For the Rebels, there were two major bench fuck-ups which I lay squarely at the feet of Hill:

1) Beale came on far too late. Everyone knew he was jumping out of his skin to play, and when he is like that, it is usually pretty special. Story. End. Of.

He played almost a full half.

There were plenty of Rebels fans upset that he played at all. I don't think Hill could have brought him on much earlier really and if he'd been picked to start there would have been outrage from a fair few.

Personally I think his ban was long enough. If the players were happy for him to come back then it was fine to bring him back.

 

[daz]

He played almost a full half.

There were plenty of Rebels fans upset that he played at all. I don't think Hill could have brought him on much earlier really and if he'd been picked to start there would have been outrage from a fair few.

Personally I think his ban was long enough. If the players were happy for him to come back then it was fine to bring him back.

I hear you BH, but I guess my point is that Hill is there to win games, but he acts far too slow as a game-day coach. Like Delve, if KB (Kurtley Beale) was ok to be on the bench, he was ok to play a full game.

I fully get that everyone has a view on whether KB (Kurtley Beale) should be in/out/away from the team, but the reality is that he sat on the pine for 40-odd minutes when he was actually needed on the ground.

As for the outrage, well, winning tends to moderate people's opinions.

 

[Braveheart81]

As for the outrage, well, winning tends to moderate people's opinions.

Agreed. Those unhappy with Beale returning would have probably been a lot less unhappy had the Rebels beaten the Chiefs with Beale dominant.

As an aside, do you think the incident in South Africa resulted in Delve moving to the outer? Higgers has taken over the captaincy and been playing really well and the Rebels have been playing much better.

From an outsiders perspective (and in hindsight) it appears as though that have been the moment where there was a leadership shift within the Rebels.

 

[qwerty51]

I would purely put that down to Delve leaving next year and a succession plan

 

[daz]

Yeah, if I was to put my guessing hat on, I would assume that at some point Delve sat with Hill and worked out a succession plan.

Higgers signing was clearly the outcome of that discussion. I don't think the SA incident had much to do with it, except maybe it acted as a catalyst for the change.

My view is that while Delve has been the on and off field leader for the better part of 2 years, given he is heading back to the NH at the end of this year he has deliberately taken a step back and begun the handover.

Seems to be working a treat!

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Higgers improvement has been fantastic. he's shot right up from a fringe match day 22 player to, in my opinion, a must starter against the lions. outplaying all of his 6 counterparts, even mowen.

i think you're right, delve to the bench was hastened by his injury, but it was going to start to happen. that said i also agree the delve should be brought on sooner. he is a great 40 minute player and means we can get saffy to 7 and bring penalty magnate fuglister off.

 

[en_force_er]

Higgers improvement has been fantastic. he's shot right up from a fringe match day 22 player to, in my opinion, a must starter against the lions. outplaying all of his 6 counterparts, even mowen.

To me it's simple, if you start Timani you must start Mowen. They complement each other in both line-out strengths/weaknesses and jobs around the field.

If you start a more text-book lock (presuming Horwill will start that leaves Douglas and Simmons), then Higgers is your man.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

All fair points daz, don't disagree with any of them. Chiefs defense is defo an issue and will prevent them defending the title I think.

I still think hill and higgers looks and interplay about the ref questions was immature and embarrassing. They weren't smashed in the breakdown because of the ref, they were smashed due to poor committal and lack of structure.

The fact they had the TMO on their side (in my opinion anyway) makes their comments just a little more hard to swallow.

 

[daz]

I still think hill and higgers looks and interplay about the ref questions was immature and embarrassing. They weren't smashed in the breakdown because of the ref, they were smashed due to poor committal and lack of structure.

100% correct. Which is why I am appalled that Delve was left on the pine.

He might not have saved the day, but he would have prevented a bit of pilfering and counter-rucking. That part of the Chiefs game was unbelievably good.

Regardless of what actually happened on the field, I always find it distasteful and poor form when the coach and captain put the boot into the ref in the media. Take note of the way the Chiefs did it; complain without fuss, behind closed doors and through the proper channels.

Enjoy the win MR. It was well earned.

 

[Shiggins]

The best example are the amount of chiefs players going of there feet to protect there own ball. They just dive over. One after the other. And they are not cleaning out.

 

[Athilnaur]

To me it's simple, if you start Timani you must start Mowen. They complement each other in both line-out strengths/weaknesses and jobs around the field.

If you start a more text-book lock (presuming Horwill will start that leaves Douglas and Simmons), then Higgers is your man.

A have your cake and eat it too type might say 'or... we get Higgers to flex some of that leadership muscle by being responsible for lineout calls'.

Not sold on Timani, but I have warmed to his workrate this year and firmly believe he makes a big difference in scrums and breakdowns. I just don't want to see us having a rubbish lineout, I see that as a major tactical screw up against a big lions pack.

 

[daz]

I just don't want to see us having a rubbish lineout

No problem. Ged or Freier won't be throwing.

You know what they say (they being every Rebels fan in the known world): A straight throw is half the battle.

 

[Athilnaur]

Sounds more like something a Reds fan says to a Tahs fan