Round 5: Lions v Rebels - Sun12:05am @Emirates Park

[Rugbynutter39]

Haha this is hyperbole of the highest level. Perennial underachievers? This is their 2nd year that they have been finals contenders in 8 years of existence. We all know a team north of the Murray who are much more deserving of the tag 'perennial underachievers'.

I'd speak for your own fanbase before speaking for ours. I can tell you that the Rebels season so far has been far from frustrating.

Err I was talking about the Tahs.....

 

[Brumby Runner]

Gees if Rebels fans happy to accept the good history of good 40 minute half games against the top teams and getting hammered in the second half then maybe all is good with the rebels. Constructive criticism from me is with the Roster they offer so much potential but potential gets you only so far against the top teams.

Have another look at the roster RN. Only Coleman as a current Wallaby in the forwards, and Genia, Koroibete/Maddocks and DHP in the backs. Compare with current Wallabies in the Tahs - Kepu, Simmons, Dempsey, Hooper, Phipps, Foley, Beale and Folau. Which side is underperforming?

 

[Rugbynutter39]

DCTarget - read the media mate my view is just general consensus view mate of where Rebels need to improve

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/03/16/super-rugby-lions-rebels-five-things

1. Rebels need to stamp authority

This was an absolutely golden opportunity for the Rebels to finally shed their South African duck but ultimately they gave it away.

They proved they have the arsenal to go toe-to-toe with the Lions, who have made the past three Super Rugby finals, but three tries in 10 minutes slashed a 26-point advantage to just seven.

Close games are already shaping as a regularity for the Rebels in 2019 - their three previous wins came in single-figure margins - and when the room for error is so small losses are almost inevitable.

Whether it be giving up an early lead like they did against the Brumbies or having early leads run down like they did against the Lions and very nearly against the Highlanders, the Rebels need to minimise the ebbs and flows.

If they can maintain control for longer, it will only mean good things for their win-loss record and their fans’ fingernails.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Have another look at the roster RN. Only Coleman as a current Wallaby in the forwards, and Genia, Koroibete/Maddocks and DHP in the backs. Compare with current Wallabies in the Tahs - Kepu, Simmons, Dempsey, Hooper, Phipps, Foley, Beale and Folau. Which side is underperforming?

BR this is a Rebels thread mate - we are talking about the weaknesses of the Rebels and ability to play 80 minute football. If you want to talk about the Tahs and there weaknesses I am more than happy to do so on the Tahs thread. You guys seriously have not understood I am an Australian Rugby fan and not parachoial or one eyed Tahs supporter. Lets keep the debate on these threads to the specifc team threads as I was not discussing the Tahs and never claiming them to be better than rebels or indeed discussing there underperformance. I need to remove the Tahs badge as clearly you guys are delusional to think I am a one eyed Tahs fan when i watch all Oz super rugby teams play and just generally want to see good rugby. Why can't I comment on where the rebels are falling down?

 

[Brumby Runner]

Look, no doubt you are right in absolute terms RN, but I have to wonder if the late arrival of the Rebels' Wallaby contingent and the disruptive preparation for the game might not have led to the drop off in form at the end of this particular game?

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Look, no doubt you are right in absolute terms RN, but I have to wonder if the late arrival of the Rebels' Wallaby contingent and the disruptive preparation for the game might not have led to the drop off in form at the end of this particular game?

Fair enough BR to offer that as reason. I am probably just frustrated that Rebels have a history of good 40 minute halfs and woeful second 40 minute halfs against good teams. I actually would like to see a oz Super rugby side actually get to a Super Rugby final and not fussy who....Rebels probably best bet this season and hence the frustration that offer so much potential but to lose a game when 33-5 up is pretty frustrating and given history of throwing away leads like this.

 

[Brumby Runner]

BR this is a Rebels thread mate - we are talking about the weaknesses of the Rebels and ability to play 80 minute football. If you want to talk about the Tahs and there weaknesses I am more than happy to do so on the Tahs thread. You guys seriously have not understood I am an Australian Rugby fan and not parachoial or one eyed Tahs supporter. Lets keep the debate on these threads to the specifc team threads as I was not discussing the Tahs and never claiming them to be better than rebels or indeed discussing there underperformance. I need to remove the Tahs badge as clearly you guys are delusional to think I am a one eyed Tahs fan when i watch all Oz super rugby teams play and just generally want to see good rugby. Why can't I comment on where the rebels are falling down?

RN, my response was mainly instigated by your reference to the strength of the Rebels' squad. I weas comparing that squad with the Tahs, but could have been against the Brumbies to make a point. Maybe they aren't as strong a squad as you might consider.

In terms of being an 80 minute team, that same comment could probably be levelled at every side that loses a game. Certainly at a majority of them. I don't think the Rebels necessarily are any more worthy of such a tag as any side that doesn't play consistently over the whole 80 minutes. That is my point.

 

[Derpus]

Look, no doubt you are right in absolute terms RN, but I have to wonder if the late arrival of the Rebels' Wallaby contingent and the disruptive preparation for the game might not have led to the drop off in form at the end of this particular game?

Wallabies > Super Rugby franchises. Every time. Tahs included.

 

[Dctarget]

RN39, I agree with what you say the Rebels have to do. I was taking issue with the perennial underachievers comment. A bit hard for such a young team who've largely been a mercenary team with little continuity. They've been spanked by every team for years now, so it's expected they're going to bottle it sometimes and not know how to close out games. As I said earlier, season is young, they will learn.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

RN, my response was mainly instigated by your reference to the strength of the Rebels' squad. I weas comparing that squad with the Tahs, but could have been against the Brumbies to make a point. Maybe they aren't as strong a squad as you might consider.

In terms of being an 80 minute team, that same comment could probably be levelled at every side that loses a game. Certainly at a majority of them. I don't think the Rebels necessarily are any more worthy of such a tag as any side that doesn't play consistently over the whole 80 minutes. That is my point.

I guess my point and whole basis of my criticism is Rebels in recent seasons been guilty of more inconsistent halfs of rugby then other teams in oz rugby conference ie games of two halfs, hence my criticism for lack of 80 minute football. This I thought was pretty common knowledge and hence why rugby australia media article has this as number 1 thing we learnt about rebels in this game. For me other teams issues are different issues and reasons for under-performance. Under-performance of other oz teams not in question here and not debating that but rather focussing on specific areas of under performance here. Anyhow will leave this now as don't want to clog up these threads as made my views known and reasons behind my posts. All the best.

 

[Gnostic]

Plenty whinging about referring against the Rebels, here and elsewhere. I don't recognise that as a "bad" referee performance, in fact I actually think the Rebels got away with a fair bit. They were clearly blown a few times and were struggling to get back onside and only got pinged for offside a few times. They were awarded a try when the referee clearly said he saw the player as short but the ball then ended up against the post? That was a bit confusing for me.

The only call I would say was clearly wrong was at the maul where the Rebels player was yellow carded, he clearly came through the maul and at one point had bound around the head by the Lions player. I thought that was especially harsh as it should have been a turn over to the Rebels.

That was about it, the Rebels offending was pretty blatant and IMO the referee was pretty slow to award the Yellow Cards and lost control a bit of the escalation process in that.

 

[Slim 293]

I watched the game knowing the score and the penalty count. I expected to be screaming at the TV as the ref ignored countless Lions infringements, and then pinged the Rebels every chance he could.

But that wasn't what happened. I thought he was fine. In fact, the main criticism I'd make is he should have put another Rebel in the bin in the second half.

There were no aggregious Lions infringements, at best you could have found a few 50/50 ruck penalties. No missed high shots or abuses of the offside line. Their first half defence was so weak they barely had a chance to infringe.

It was a great game of rugby, some brilliant play by both teams. Rebels look so well coached, but were a bit overenthusiastic in the second half. Naisirani and Genia both great, as was Cooper, Meakes, Jones.

They could have managed that final scrum better. It was a shame as their defence in the last 15 was great, and they deserved to hang on for the draw. Channel 1 ball and kick it out, but they couldn't get it done.
.

Bingo...........

The Lions came out firing in the second half, and were cutting through the Rebels defences............

The Rebels resorted to the ill discipline they displayed a week earlier when they are under pressure.

The refereeing was fine..........

Still, they looked sharp in that first half - I’m not sure where To'omua is going to fit in?

 

[dru]

The ref created the situation by the way he administered the rucks from the start. Then realised that it was too much and changed how he was doing things. This doesn’t make the penalties incorrect or even harsh, but it doesn’t make a good refereeing performance either.

I wonder if the assistant refs started giving him the nudge?

Awesome first half and generally amazing performance given the possession and territory stats. Don’t forget this was at altitude in Africa with the WBs joining late.

 

[Derpus]

I saw an interesting point made elsewhere. If the ref had not incorrectly sent off Cottrell for the wheeled maul towards the end, and correctly sent off the replacement prop, then the scrums would have been uncontested and it would probably have ended a draw.

 

[Blackadder]

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/03/21/super-rugby-rebels-wessels-refereeing

 

[Dctarget]

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/03/21/super-rugby-rebels-wessels-refereeing

Pretty well reserved comments there. Cheika could take a lesson.

 

[Derpus]

Pretty well reserved comments there. Cheika could take a lesson.

He said the ref did them in, just not in as many words.. but yeah Cheik needs some tact.

 

[barbarian]

That's 100% how you do it. Such a classy play by Wessells.

You hold your tongue in the aftermath, you secretly follow the prescribed complaints process, and THEN you publically reveal you complained and they said you did nothing wrong. The implication is the ref fucked it up, but it's not you who is saying that - it's SANZAAR.

Genius stuff really. He says it all without saying anything.
.

 

[Bobas]

Sloppy is the Benaud Keith in my eyes.