2016 IS A YEAR IN WHICH THE REBELS NEED TO START PUSHING FOR THE FINALS
Things have improved under two years of Tony McGahan, from abject disgrace to borderline competence. Now it’s year three and time to start showing results. They’ve got stability behind the scenes, and a largely unchanged XV is returning to the park. With Nick Stirzaker taking over as captain, the Rebels will be looking to take that next step with him.
THE SEASON THAT WAS
2015 was the most successful season in the Rebels short history, which unfortunately isn’t saying much. The 7-9 record came off the back of their undersized forward pack stepping to and muscling up week-in, week-out. A badly dysfunctional lineout and a refusal to pick players who might actually have scored some tries saw the team up against it on a weekly basis. They were briefly in contention for a finals spot before a late season fade out saw them lose four of their last five games, and all hope with it.
OUT THE DOOR
11 players left after season 2015, a class headlined by captain Scott Higginbotham and starting tighthead Paul Alo-Emile, off to NEC Green Rockets and Stade Francais respectively. Other notables include wing Telusa Veainu, currently starring for Leicester, lock Caderyn Neville who’s joined the Reds, and utility back Bryce Hegarty – a recent Waratahs pickup.
Rounding out the 11 are Keita Inagaki (Sunwolves), Tom Sexton (Force), Ben Whitaker (released), Radike Samo (released), Luke Burgess (Zebre), and Tom Kingston (Australian Sevens).
NEW FACES
James Hanson (Reds) is the only big name the Rebels have recruited this time around, as they look to build on the consistency and continuity they had begun to develop last year. The hooker will provide an enormous boost to what was the worst lineout in the competition. Adam Thomson (Reds) should prove an adequate replacement for Higginbotham, the two bring very similar traits to the table. The remaining signings are mainly depth. Props Ryan Cocker (Taranaki) and Jamie Hagan (London Irish), hooker Siliva Siliva (Brumbies), lock Culum Retallick (Blues), and utility back Reece Hodge (Manly) all come into the squad.
Harley Fox, Daniel Hawkins, Paul Asquith, and Michael Snowden have been added to the Extended Playing Squad, while local boys Sione Tuipulotu and Rob Leota come on board as supplementary players.
KEEP AN EYE ON
Nick Stirzaker has a real chance to press for a gold jersey this season. He’s got the best pass in the country, and a surprisingly incisive running game. Does have the tendency to get a bit stampy, and doesn’t have the defensive game that, say, Phipps, possesses. If he can sort that out, the Wallabies are waiting.
Chibba Hanson will finally get the chance to cement a starting spot, and provide the stability the Rebels have been crying out for at hooker. There have been murmurs that he’s somewhat weak in the scrum, an area of reasonable strength for the Rebels last year, but he brings a strong all-court game and top-tier lineout throwing to the table. Could prove to be the buy of the season.
Sefa Naivalu has been the subject of an off-season blackout. He came screaming into the spotlight in his debut season, showcasing the best wheels in the country. Unfortunately he suffered a nasty broken leg that is projected to keep him off stage until at least halfway through the season. Behind the scenes he’s been busy dominating the gym, with reports of a 160 keg bench press doing the rounds. Becoming Wallaby-eligible in September, the EOYT beckons.
Already established as a Wallaby, Sean McMahon enters just his third season of professional rugby . Despite fierce competition from Colby Fainga’a, Jordy Reid, and Scott Fuglistaller, he should get first crack at the openside jersey. Not the type to sit back and wait, the mad dog will be looking to force Michael Hooper to the bench come Test time.
Reece Hodge is the latest in the line of Manly talent to head down Mexico way. At 12 he plays like a more athletic Mitch Inman, but the Rebels have been testing him out on the wing and at fullback. Carries a thumping boot, runs decent lines, and looks like the sort of bloke who’s going to improve the more time he spends at this level.
THE 23
1. Smith 2. Hanson 3. Weeks 4. Jones 5. Timani 6. Reid 7. McMahon 8. Thomson 9. Stirzaker (C) 10. Debreczeni 11. Naivalu 12. Inman 13. Ellison 14. Shipperly 15. Harris
16. Leafa 17. Ah-Nau 18. Metcher 19. Cummins 20. Fainga’a 21. Meehan 22. Hodge 23. English
Given Naivalu’s injury, expect Hodge to take his place on the wing early in the season. Fainga’a and Reid will fight for a starting backrow spot throughout the season, both will get plenty of minutes. English had a wildly disappointing 2015 and should be under serious pressure from both Cam Crawford and Jonah Placid to hold his spot. Lock and tighthead are the weak positions in this squad, if injuries start rolling in things could get dicey.
FEARFUL PREDICTION
Hamstrung by an overly conservative gameplan coupled with the usual heartbreaking loss or two, the Rebels will fall short of the finals. They’ll show up again as a tough, scrappy, mid-table team who beat the teams they shouldn’t and lose to the teams they should. While the Waratahs and Brumbies look to be the class of the Australian conference, the Rebels should be able to drag themselves up past Richard Graham’s horrorshow, and whatever Michael Foley has going on out west. Until they can score more than 20 points a match on a regular basis, they’re going to struggle to match it with the big boys. 3rd in the conference and 10th overall looks like a safe bet.
