Chabal to Australia?

[TNT88]

http://www.worldcupweb.com/rugby/news/viewarticle.asp?id=33812

Former France international Sebastien Chabal has announced that he will play Super Rugby for an Australian team in the very near future.Chabal was recently sacked by by Top 14 Rugby club after some miscommunication issue and has been linked with several rugby clubs around the world since.However No.8 Chabal told French TV channel RMC"I'm going to play in Australia soon".Chabal did not reveal which Super Rugby franchise he will be playing for although the Melbourne Rebels appears to be the most likely as they have a strong foreign player recruitment policy whilst they are developing their own local talent.

cont...

If anything the Rebels need better crowds, so maybe this will help.

 

[nickdnz]

http://www.worldcupweb.com/rugby/news/viewarticle.asp?id=33812



If anything the Rebels need better crowds, so maybe this will help.


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Not sure if he'd make the starting XV of the Sunshine Coast Stringrays anymore...

I guess he may bring in a crowd but at 34 years old and never a well rounded player, it has to be a very expensive marketing move. He certainly wouldn't start ahead of Delve.

 

[Darwin]

I agree - I think Chabal would struggle to find a starting spot in the Rebels if he went there. The starting loose-trio - Saffy, Lipman, Delve - was one of the (few) strong points of the Rebels outfit last season. I suppose he could find a spot at lock (partnering Hugh Pyle), but it would leave the Rebels a bit short come lineout time, as none of the loosies are outstanding lineout options (Delve is ok), and Al Campbell (whose spot he would be taking) is one of the best lineout forwards in Australia. Outside of the starting loose-trio the Rebels don't have much depth at all though, so Chabal would certainly get plenty of starts when one of the top trio were rested/injured. However where I think Chabal could be of real value would be as an impact player off the bench - I think he could be very effective in 20-30 minute bursts against tiring players.

It will be really interesting to see whether he does end up going to he Rebels, as I think it could be a successful marketing ploy even if he isn't a regular starter for the team.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I'm a bit worried about his fitness. The last couple of games I saw him play he was hardly the player he used to be.

 

[ExcaLiBuR]

It would be great for Aus rugby if he came over, everyone loves Chabal!

 

[TRF_heineken]

Gosh! now I understand what Jake White meant when he said there's no depth in Australia... next thing we'll hear is that George Gregan, Tim Horan and Zinzan Brooke will also start playing in oz...

Talk about getting has-beens into your squad...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I suppose he would be a very good player off the bench to cover the 2nd row and loose forward.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Nah, he's pretty muck truth be told. Comes with a massive price tag attached and doesn't seem to be able to tap into the aggression of old any more. Problem is that there isn't all that much else to him game.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

It would be very expensive an pointless from a rugby POV. Maybe marketing, but... I though the Rebels were getting good crowds?

 

[TRF_heineken]

It would be very expensive an pointless from a rugby POV. Maybe marketing, but... I though the Rebels were getting good crowds?

yeah at their away games, coz every fan loves to watch their team smash a hapless rebel side...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Turns out it's basically nothing.
He's playing one game for Balmain:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...gby-with-balmain/story-fn8ti7yn-1226271091860

 

[TNT88]

what a smart arse

 

[ZeFrenchy]

yeah at their away games, coz every fan loves to watch their team smash a hapless rebel side...

According to Wikipedia they had:

25,524 against the Waratahs
14,234 against the Brumbies
15,126 against the Sharks
16,809 against the Hurricanes
18,739 against the Highlanders
16,593 against the Reds
15,238 against the Stormers
14,861 against the Force


That's an average of 17,140 against an average of 19,602 for all the teams throughout the season, including finals and the Reds bandwagonning. That's pretty good for a first year, if you ask me. Their results were also better than what I thought.

I agree they were the easy win for most of the teams, though.
And I actually thought they had had more people, they could use a boost.