Rebels vs Kings Super Rugby R9 - Saturday April 13

[kronic]

Get around this in a big way. It's our only non-Friday home game for 2013.

If you're not engaged with your local club (as per the VRU call out), get into Swan St early and enjoy it.

Hopefully 18k and 4 points, if not 5.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Taking a study break to attend and I hope all members and fans get behind the team. Rebels are offering members gold and silver 2 for 1 ticket deal. if you’re a member, get on it and get some bums in seats
Henderson (regrettably)
Ged
PAE
Jones
Pyle
Higgers
Reid
Delve
Phipps
JOC (James O'Connor)
Kingi
Sidey
Inman
Vuna
Woodward

Hotie
Weeks
Neville
Saffy
Zack
Mitchell
English

 

[tranquility]

Would it not work to have Kingi at 10.
Vuna and Woodward on the extremities, and JOC (James O'Connor) at the back?

Woodward looks the absolute goods.

 

[en_force_er]

Would it not work to have Kingi at 10.
Vuna and Woodward on the extremities, and JOC (James O'Connor) at the back?

Woodward looks the absolute goods.

It could and I believe would work mate, but nobody is going make such a massive "out of the box" change like this on the back of:

1. It not being trialed in the preseason.
2. No major injuries.
3. A win.

 

[tranquility]

Richard could have been such a good 9. He really could.
It's such a waste of a career, to have him playing on the wing.

 

[USARugger]

Richard could have been such a good 9. He really could.
It's such a waste of a career, to have him playing on the wing.

He was awesome at the Junior World Champs and for the Australian 7s team, very exciting player to watch. What really makes it ridiculous in my eyes is that he never got a shot over NICK PHIPPS I mean fuck me it's not like he stuck behind Genia. Just screams of poor coaching. Give the guy a chance, he's clearly got loads of talent and the Rebels have very little to lose at this point.

Kingi is almost definitely more athletic than Phipps and much quicker, he provides a legitimate sniping threat to the defense. Phipps has snuck some through before but isn't exactly a player that makes fringe defenses worry. I need to go back and watch Kingi's pass but I really doubt it can be worse than some of the passes I've seen Phipps throw from the base.

Phipps is on his way out too, there's just no rational way to explain why Kingi isn't getting chances at 9.

Maybe he just needs some new talent management; his highlight reel on Youtube may be one of the most unwatchable things I've ever seen. Here it is for those possessing a morbid curiosity:

 

[en_force_er]

Kingi's main skill as identified by the Rebels is his ability to change direction and use footwork.

At 9 and even 10 he'd get a chance to do this, but to much less effect then he gets on the wing/15. Personally, I think his talent as a winger and playmaker would make him a great 2nd receiver fullback, but it's not seen my way.

 

[Dumbledore]

Kingi was the first choice 9 last year until he broke and Phipps took his spot. Hill hasn't seen fit to swap things back.
He's been pushed into playmaking roles late in games a couple of times. He does okay, but he does try and force things a bit more than he should. I'd like to see him at 10, with Roberts at fullback and JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 with Woodward and Vuna on the wings.

I think he's a much better fullback than wing. Knowing what Hill is likely to pick/what I'd still like to see, something like this is possible.

Phipps
JOC (James O'Connor)
Vuna
Sidey
Inman
Woodward
Kingi

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Kingi was the first choice 9 last year until he broke and Phipps took his spot. Hill hasn't seen fit to swap things back.
He's been pushed into playmaking roles late in games a couple of times. He does okay, but he does try and force things a bit more than he should. I'd like to see him at 10, with Roberts at fullback and JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 with Woodward and Vuna on the wings.

I think he's a much better fullback than wing. Knowing what Hill is likely to pick/what I'd still like to see, something like this is possible.

Phipps
JOC (James O'Connor)
Vuna
Sidey
Inman
Woodward
Kingi

I'd agree with every thing you said. can't recall the injury that put kingi on the sideline, but when he was playing 9 last year at the start of the season he was vastly suprieror to phipps. phipps found a run of form as kingi was coming back and for whatever reason hill didn't switch it back.

I agree that kingi when he slots into a 10ish role can try to force it a bit to much, but I don't find the same applies when he's at 9. he provides a similar threat to pretorious at 9

I think your line up is spot on. only point of disagreement is that i dont want to see roberts in the starting XV for awhile.

that is a much more competent and attack minded backline. i found roberts stood too deep at 10 last week and the other backs were thus deeper than they should be. meant by the time he through the miss pass the defence was able to adjust pretty easily.

 

[Dumbledore]

Roberts was completely fine at fullback on his debut. He was utterly competent. Turns out he can't run a backline in the Soup just yet, that's fine - it's a big step up from the Shute Shield. Throwing him out completely does his confidence no good at all. If he can't be in the XV, he deserves to be on the bench.

As for Phipps, I've been saying it for over a year now, I still think he's the third best scrumhalf at the Rebels. But hey, what are you going to do?

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

with you on phipps. it is very frustrating, but good to see he will be gone next year. burgess is a much more exciting player and a better 9 as well. he'll be a good mentor for zacker. if kingi stays, i imagine he'll largely be on the wing or full back going forward. we are obviously going to lose at least one of JOC (James O'Connor) and beale so that keeps a spot for kingi...but rumours are he might head to the force....with them signing morahan and mathewson, not sure where he'd fit in there? back up 9 and winger? he is a better winger then dellit.

i accept your point that roberts was a better 15. that is true. he has been woeful at 9 and yes i acknowledge it's a big step up for him, but he was still woeful and i'm glad JOC (James O'Connor) looks to be the 10 going forward.
i take roberts off the bench as i think on field we have enough 15 cover in kingi, JOC (James O'Connor), and woodward. and given that he's not really much of a cover for 10...he sort of falls out of my 22.

 

[USARugger]

Roberts was completely fine at fullback on his debut. He was utterly competent. Turns out he can't run a backline in the Soup just yet, that's fine - it's a big step up from the Shute Shield. Throwing him out completely does his confidence no good at all. If he can't be in the XV, he deserves to be on the bench.

As for Phipps, I've been saying it for over a year now, I still think he's the third best scrumhalf at the Rebels. But hey, what are you going to do?

Date Dingo's daughter, apparently.

 

[Baldric]

When Phipps is playing the ball seems to be cleared slowly. We have not seen Kingi play this season at 9, but when Stirzaker plays the tempo seems to pick up a bit. I would rather see 9 shared between those two.

 

[eastman]

Surely you have a better option than Rory Sidey for 12- he surely is one of the worst backs in Super 14?

 

[Dumbledore]

Surely you have a better option than Rory Sidey for 12- he surely is one of the worst backs in Super 14?

We do and he is.

 

[FiveStarStu]

This is going to be a cracker. Rebels played angry last week and it paid off. Kings look the goods but will be tired at the end of their roadtrip.

Rebels after the siren, maybe?

 

[daz]

I think it fair to say that this game will be the most important in coach Hill's career to date.

I see a fork in the road come the final whistle Saturday night.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

it is a must win.
our stint of games after this is as follows: Crusaders (a), chiefs (h), Stormers (h), Waratahs (h), Reds (a), Brumbies (a), Highlanders (h).
As bad as the chiefs have been, i wouldn't be banking in beating them in the last round given the talent in their squad.
it will be very hard to get a win out of those remaining games so it's crucial to win this, get some confidence and momentum heading into the bye and hope we can repeat v the crusaders. they've got some injuries that could see them a bit rusty in a couple weeks time.

 

[Blue]

it is a must win.
our stint of games after this is as follows: Crusaders (a), chiefs (h), Stormers (h), Waratahs (h), Reds (a), Brumbies (a), Highlanders (h).
As bad as the chiefs have been, i wouldn't be banking in beating them in the last round given the talent in their squad.
it will be very hard to get a win out of those remaining games so it's crucial to win this, get some confidence and momentum heading into the bye and hope we can repeat v the crusaders. they've got some injuries that could see them a bit rusty in a couple weeks time.

erm?

"Bad" is not exactly a word I would use to describe the Chafes. Even if they are having a bad day they still look better than just about everyone else.

There have been times where the have been awesome.

 

[Braveheart81]

Did he mean Highlanders?

If you replace Chiefs with Highlanders, it makes perfect sense.

"As bad as the Highlanders have been, i wouldn't be banking in beating them in the last round given the talent in their squad."