Rebels vs. Waratahs - 2011R01

[barbarian]

The situation with injuries is covered in todays SMH:

MELBOURNE are feeling the pressure after coach Rod Macqueen suggested that NSW should be installed favourites for the Super Rugby title, says Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh.

Macqueen's amusingly timed advice for bookmakers hardly came as a shock to the NSW camp, who have yet to win a Super title since the tournament's inception in 1996.

''They are trying to deflect pressure off themselves,'' Waugh said. ''It's a big night for them, they fought very hard to get the licence down in Melbourne. There is a lot of talk about them, probably more so in Sydney. They have been filling our papers, so there is a lot of pressure on them.''

''It is a big test for us and we've been aware of that,'' he said. ''The Waratahs are full of Wallabies, they're a side that has played together for quite a few years and so they're getting better at what they're doing.

''I think that they deserve to be favourites this year in the Super competition, probably of all the Super teams.''

But Waugh said Kiwi juggernauts the Crusaders, along with South Africa's Bulls and Stormers, deserved their rankings as the favourites among bookies.

''In four of five weeks we will look at the table and see how well things are going,'' Waugh said.

Macqueen added: ''We're really not looking beyond the first game.

''That might sound surprising, but that's going to give us a better idea as to where we stand and I think that after that we'll be setting goals and sorting ourselves out from there. We've said from day one we want to be competitive … but we'll be more specific as far as the points we'll be looking to get in the ensuing weeks.''

NSW named a 25-man squad for the game, which will be cut to 22 today after fitness tests on No.8 Wycliff Palu, centre Rob Horne and prop Benn Robinson. ''Rob [Horne] got some good game time in the curtain-raiser last week and came through that well, and we've also had Tom Carter, Ryan Cross and Lachie Turner who have performed well in the centres,'' NSW coach Chris Hickey said.

''We need to make sure his return comes at the right time.

''Benn Robinson hasn't featured in the trials with the calf strain he picked up a few weeks ago, but he's completed all the rehab and passed all the tests that have been asked of him, so we're pretty confident there.

''Cliffy [Palu] is one we need to keep an eye on with the hamstring injury he picked up in Nowra. We have to be mindful that he's coming back from a serious knee injury as well and has been out for 10 months, but he's also one of the best players in the world in his position and can have a huge impact on any match he's involved in.''

Meanwhile, Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie says his team is not interested in retaining underdogs status after last year's breakout performances.

The Reds, perennial underachievers in the tournament, earned a wave of new fans with their creative and exciting displays in 2010 and want to establish themselves as genuine contenders this season, starting against the Western Force on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.

''It will be a big home game and a great opportunity to get out there in front of the fans since last year,'' McKenzie said. ''It will be a big game, a big occasion and we have to make sure we get it right.

''We are not in interested in being the underdog, other teams can go out there and try and grab that space - they can have it.''

 

[fatprop]

All we have to do now is teach him to use paragraphs

 

[Waylon]

a least he isnt a rebel who has payed money to be assigned a number and conform to a group/team thus making the name of said team completely and utterly useless before a ball is kicked. honestly, why not call them the sell outs or retirement plans.

Vanu like other leagies before him will be gone by seasons end, he wont get good ball from a forward pack consisting of rag tag could have been but never where but macqueens a genious and we were the only ones off contract wannabes lacking the fortitude to aim up when the going gets tough representing melbourne the way melbourne should be represented as a decent casino surrounded by a bleak crabby offputtingly smelly town full of people who have there coffee out of tiny cups in respect to the italian guy that lived next door to there gramps and never bothered to learn the language before inforcing his beliefs that you should only drink a shot in the morning but pay four times a normal cup of coffee at a real store as its from overseas not unlike capriani or however you spell the idiots name who was banging one of the hottest chicks the world has ever had the pleasure of perving on through her own lack of morals and probably a few daddy issues that caused her to take her top off at the drop of a hat but still, she wanted to be taken seriously and persue her dream of occasional lines on a british soapie and broke up with the nerd cos he wanted to play rugby in melbourne where they have two airports but trains that go slower than the speed of sitting. this is what your supporting, this is why your putting down Tommy 'rockabilly' carter, for cooper vanu, he isnt even from melbounre, he was asked to name a landmark and he said the airport cos its how he gets out of there. honestly, carter is coming to melourne and you better be taking him seriously, this isnt santa claus that you can just be good fromt he time you tell your mum what you want a few weeks before christmas, this is the hardened veteren of the tahs midfield a man that if he went to iraq would go straight up the guts and end the war directly instead of all this art farting about, a man that once saw a terrorist about to let off an explosive and just shook his head causing the young jihad wannabe to shit himself in the middle of martin place, story has it that after the event, the young lad moved to melbourne to continue his new life, it was the only place he would never be tempted to blow anything up as melbourne has nothing. hell Al baxter designed your stadium, i asked him about it and he said it was just something old sitting around his office that no one wanted so they pretended it was trendy and low and behold melbourne signed up for it. screw cooper vanu, this is the big leagues and the Tahs are about to rip the world a new one.

Tah supporters are out in full cry I see. Your dream will be over in a few weeks, as usual.

 

[Dumbledore]

a least he isnt a rebel who has payed money to be assigned a number and conform to a group/team thus making the name of said team completely and utterly useless before a ball is kicked. honestly, why not call them the sell outs or retirement plans.

Vanu like other leagies before him will be gone by seasons end, he wont get good ball from a forward pack consisting of rag tag could have been but never where but macqueens a genious and we were the only ones off contract wannabes lacking the fortitude to aim up when the going gets tough representing melbourne the way melbourne should be represented as a decent casino surrounded by a bleak crabby offputtingly smelly town full of people who have there coffee out of tiny cups in respect to the italian guy that lived next door to there gramps and never bothered to learn the language before inforcing his beliefs that you should only drink a shot in the morning but pay four times a normal cup of coffee at a real store as its from overseas not unlike capriani or however you spell the idiots name who was banging one of the hottest chicks the world has ever had the pleasure of perving on through her own lack of morals and probably a few daddy issues that caused her to take her top off at the drop of a hat but still, she wanted to be taken seriously and persue her dream of occasional lines on a british soapie and broke up with the nerd cos he wanted to play rugby in melbourne where they have two airports but trains that go slower than the speed of sitting. this is what your supporting, this is why your putting down Tommy 'rockabilly' carter, for cooper vanu, he isnt even from melbounre, he was asked to name a landmark and he said the airport cos its how he gets out of there. honestly, carter is coming to melourne and you better be taking him seriously, this isnt santa claus that you can just be good fromt he time you tell your mum what you want a few weeks before christmas, this is the hardened veteren of the tahs midfield a man that if he went to iraq would go straight up the guts and end the war directly instead of all this art farting about, a man that once saw a terrorist about to let off an explosive and just shook his head causing the young jihad wannabe to shit himself in the middle of martin place, story has it that after the event, the young lad moved to melbourne to continue his new life, it was the only place he would never be tempted to blow anything up as melbourne has nothing. hell Al baxter designed your stadium, i asked him about it and he said it was just something old sitting around his office that no one wanted so they pretended it was trendy and low and behold melbourne signed up for it. screw cooper vanu, this is the big leagues and the Tahs are about to rip the world a new one.

:lmao:

 

[barbarian]

Confirmation Cliffy is gone for around 3 weeks:

New South Wales Waratahs strike weapon Wycliff Palu has been ruled out of Friday's Super Rugby opener against Melbourne Rebels.

Palu is battling a hamstring injury and Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said the powerful Wallabies No.8 could be sidelined for a couple more weeks.

Palu missed almost all of last season with knee ligament damage and must now shake the hamstring injury on his other leg picked up in a trial match before he can return to action.

A bulked-up Ben Mowen will wear the No.8 jersey against the Rebels and Hickey confirmed Palu won't be rushed back.

"It's hard to say with hamstrings, it'll probably be a couple of weeks I think," he said.

"With a long season ahead of us, he's an important player for us so we've got to make sure he's 100 per cent when he comes back and it doesn't become a chronic injury he's trying to deal with for the rest of the season."

In better news for the Waratahs, centre Rob Horne and prop Benn Robinson were expected to face Super Rugby newcomers the Rebels, provided they got through Wednesday's training and Thursday's captain's run unscathed.

However, without any trial form, it's likely Horne and Robinson will be eased back off the bench or with limited game time.

 

[TOCC]

Confirmation Cliffy is gone for around 3 weeks:

too much weight not enough speed works

 

[fatprop]

too much weight not enough speed works

Not much you can do with a bung knee

 

[RugbyReg]

[video=youtube;RCHe-0w9KX8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCHe-0w9KX8[/video]

 

[Richo]

Tah supporters are out in full cry I see. Our dream will be over in a few weeks, as usual.

Fixed.

 

[Waylon]

[video=youtube;RCHe-0w9KX8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCHe-0w9KX8[/video]

Thanks
I've never seen it

 

[Waylon]

Fixed.

I think you meant tampered

 

[qwerty51]

I think you meant tampered

Or corrected

 

[waratahjesus]

Tah supporters are out in full cry I see. Your dream will be over in a few weeks, as usual.

usually doesnt end til finals time, you know what finals are right, there the games played after the regular season....you know finals?
the tahs are in a tough spot, cos unlike other australian teams there playing in the real world and not trying to full a cabinet with moral victories.

 

[vidiot]

Confirmation Cliffy is gone for around 3 weeks:

Downer, I was looking forward to seeing the skittles fly. Still, TPN can take the first frame.

 

[Dumbledore]

Rebels starting 22 just named, I'll update the OP in a minute.

1 Nic Henderson
2 Ged Robinson
3 Greg Somerville
4 Adam Byrnes
5 Kevin O'Neill
6 Hoani Macdonald
7 Michael Lipman
8 Gareth Delve (vc)

9 Sam Cordingley
10 James Hilgendorf
11 Luke Rooney
12 Cooper Vuna
13 Stirling Mortlock (c)
14 Lachlan Mitchell
15 Julian Huxley

16 Heath Tessmann
17 Laurie Weeks
18 Alister Campbell
19 Jarrod Saffy
20 Nick Phipps
21 Danny Cipriani
22 Afusipa Taumoepeau

 

[Hawko]

Downer, I was looking forward to seeing the skittles fly. Still, TPN can take the first frame.

And Kepu the second. Thereafter they can take it in turns.

 

[Dumbledore]

Henderson, MacDonald, Cordingley, Hilgendorf and Mitchell should not be starting.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

usually doesnt end til finals time, you know what finals are right, there the games played after the regular season....you know finals?
the tahs are in a tough spot, cos unlike other australian teams there playing in the real world and not trying to full a cabinet with moral victories.

Sorry us Brumby fans haven't been in the finals for a few years, can you remind us about it. I suppose after 5 goes at it you've won them? Did you guys win a trophy or something at least?

 

[CanadianRugby]

What I like about WJ is that what he has to say is so important it rises above normal communication. It doesn't need things like spelling and grammar.

Seriously disappointed in the Rebels line up. Betham not even in the 22 is surprising.

 

[Hawko]

Rebels starting 22 just named, I'll update the OP in a minute.

1 Nic Henderson
2 Ged Robinson
3 Greg Somerville
10 James Hilgendorf
11 Luke Rooney
14 Lachlan Mitchell
15 Julian Huxley

16 Heath Tessmann
17 Laurie Weeks
18 Alister Campbell
20 Nick Phipps
21 Danny Cipriani

There's a few strange selections in this team:

Nic Henderson over Laurie Weeks??? That should worry a Rebels supporter, I would have thought Weeks at TH and Somerville at LH was their best option up against one of the best scrums in the comp. The Force front three got monstered last week.

Robinson over Tessman?? Though neither inspire confidence against TPN.

If Hilgendorf is better than Cipriani then Cips won't ever make the England squad again

No room for Betham and Huxley the best fullback. Up against Mitchell, Turner/Pakalani and Beale they will be tested out wide.

Campbell couldn't make 5th best in the Tahs squad.

Phipps beats Kingi for the back-up 9 role????

They are going to do it tough for a few weeks.