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

[KevinO]

Well this one is even tougher than expected.

When you got games in SA you think the ARU would want everything to be done in the players best interest. Well not for the Rebels, they decided to have a Wallabies camp instead, so instead of the Rebels players arriving together on possibly Sunday or Monday half the side now won't arrive until Wed/Thurs.

Great way to prepare for a game at altitude. Would have been a tough ask for the rebels anyway, Lions to win this one is a easy call now.

 

[PaarlBok]

Dont worry , Dave have everything under control.

 

[Mick The Munch]

If we came away with one from the tour I'd be happy

Well this one is even tougher than expected.

When you got games in SA you think the ARU would want everything to be done in the players best interest. Well not for the Rebels, they decided to have a Wallabies camp instead, so instead of the Rebels players arriving together on possibly Sunday or Monday half the side now won't arrive until Wed/Thurs.

Great way to prepare for a game at altitude. Would have been a tough ask for the rebels anyway, Lions to win this one is a easy call now.

 

[KevinO]

Agree, also worry that we are straight to qld from tour

 

[swingpass]

so given the following
1 teams rarely beat the Lions at home
2 hard game against the Brums
3 shortened prep due to Wally camp
4 our wallys (except Hodge and Coleman) have played plenty of minutes
5 the next MOST important game is against Reds in couple of weeks

i would be tempted to rest most of frontline players this weekend. if they snag a win it increases the "great squad/invincibilty" factor, if the lose then "it was our second stringers after all"

so perhaps this is what i'd go with

1 Gibbon
2 Rangi/Abel
3 Talakai
4 Jones
5 RHP
6 Cottrell
7 Wilkin
8 Leota
9 Ruru
10 Hodge
11 Magnay
12 Meakes
13 English (C)
14 Tuipulotu
15 Maddocks

16 Abel/Rangi
17 Faulkner
18 Faamusili
19 Philip / Coleman
20 Naisarani
21 Hardwick
22 Genia (I'd play Goddard but he is in OZ)
23 Cooper

the other option is to start Meakes at 10 and Hodge at 15, Tuipulotu at 12 and Koroibete on the wing. If Semis Tupou is in SA then he would be a wing/FB option in the starting 15 in place of Maddocks.

if they are within striking distance of a win with 20 to go then send in the cavalry if not then keep the bench cold.

i will probably be completely wrong with the above .

 

[OneOrThree]

Melbourne Rebels v Lions
12.05am (AEDT) Kick Off (Sunday morning)

1 Tetera Faulkner
2 Anaru Rangi
3 Sam Talakai
4 Ross Haylett-Petty
5 Adam Coleman
6 Luke Jones
7 Brad Wilkin
8 Isi Naisarani
9 Will Genia
10 Quade Cooper
11 Reece Hodge
12 Billy Meakes
13 Tom English
14 Jack Maddocks
15 Dane Haylett-Petty

16 Robbie Abel
17 Matt Gibbon
18 Jermaine Ainsley
19 Matt Philip
20 Angus Cottrell
21 Michael Ruru
22 Sione Tuipulotu
23 Marika Koroibete

 

[KevinO]

Luke Jones finally starting at 6.

Good side, let's hope we can sneak a win.

 

[Rebels3]

This is the game I think they will be targeting for some points at least at a minimum. Lions this year are a shade of the team they have been.

I’d expect a few changes for next week. Realistically only Genia and DHP need a rest with the wallabies season ahead as the others are either already been rotated (locks), won’t be involved in every wallabies game (Maddocks), have already missed plenty of time (Hodge) or they won’t play a game beyond the super season, so no need to be rotated.

 

[swingpass]

so given the following
1 teams rarely beat the Lions at home
2 hard game against the Brums
3 shortened prep due to Wally camp
4 our wallys (except Hodge and Coleman) have played plenty of minutes
5 the next MOST important game is against Reds in couple of weeks

i would be tempted to rest most of frontline players this weekend. if they snag a win it increases the "great squad/invincibilty" factor, if the lose then "it was our second stringers after all"

so perhaps this is what i'd go with

1 Gibbon
2 Rangi/Abel
3 Talakai
4 Jones
5 RHP
6 Cottrell
7 Wilkin
8 Leota
9 Ruru
10 Hodge
11 Magnay
12 Meakes
13 English (C)
14 Tuipulotu
15 Maddocks

16 Abel/Rangi
17 Faulkner
18 Faamusili
19 Philip / Coleman
20 Naisarani
21 Hardwick
22 Genia (I'd play Goddard but he is in OZ)
23 Cooper

the other option is to start Meakes at 10 and Hodge at 15, Tuipulotu at 12 and Koroibete on the wing. If Semis Tupou is in SA then he would be a wing/FB option in the starting 15 in place of Maddocks.

if they are within striking distance of a win with 20 to go then send in the cavalry if not then keep the bench cold.

i will probably be completely wrong with the above .

or you can continue to play your strongest team each week and maintain the momentum !

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Good to see young Sione Tuipulotu on the bench this weekend.

 

[Dctarget]

Good to see Hodge starting. Also, excited to see Sione get more game time. I would have Philip over RHP but apart from that it looks good.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Good to see Hodge starting. Also, excited to see Sione get more game time. I would have Philip over RHP but apart from that it looks good.

Philip perhaps not starting due to his recent foot infection - perhaps less game time, just in case.

 

[KevinO]

Hodge to slot a penalty from 70 meters.

Of course he starts this one just for the longest boot in Aus rugby.

 

[PaarlBok]

Lions: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Franco Naudé, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Marvin Orie, 3 Carlu Sadie, Malcolm Marx(c), 1 Dylan Smith.
Reserves: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Rhyno Herbst, 20 Ruan Vermaak, 21 Gianni Lombaard, 22 Lionel Mapoe, 23 Andries Coetzee

Rookies blooded so far this year :

3 Carlu Sadie 19 Rhyno Herbst,20 Ruan Vermaak, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 21 Gianni Lombard 7 Vincent Tshituka, 15 Tyrone Green, 16 Jan-Henning Campher

 

[KevinO]

That's a interesting back line. I think if Genia/Cooper fires we could actually win this one. Meakes and English should have the upper hand over Simelane/Naude and we should be able to put plenty of pressure on Green.

I really think the Lions struggles is Faf leaving. He controlled the game for them and made up for Jantjies indecisiveness.

 

[Dctarget]

That's a interesting back line. I think if Genia/Cooper fires we could actually win this one. Meakes and English should have the upper hand over Simelane/Naude and we should be able to put plenty of pressure on Green.

I really think the Lions struggles is Faf leaving. He controlled the game for them and made up for Jantjies indecisiveness.

I'm not letting myself get excited about this. That forward pack contains a few cannonballs; Kwagga Smith, Marx and Schoeman will make our forward pack's night miserable.

Also Cronjé and Jantjies have looked very good so far.
Lions by >10.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Read all about it!

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/match-preview-emirates-lions-vs-melbourne-rebels/

 

[The Honey Badger]

Anyone know what time this game is relayed tomorrow morning. Or else how soon do they get it up for on demand?

 

[KevinO]

That one will be tough to beat as Rebels try of the year. Good start by the boys

 

[KevinO]

Fuck yeah,

I might be the only one watching but that's the Rebels third try. Leading 19-5 after 21 min