Farce and Rabble

[hjklhjkl]

Telusa Veainu Signs with the Rebels

The Melbourne Rebels' drive to recruit New Zealand talent for their 2014 Super Rugby roster has continued, with Crusaders and Hawke's Bay wing Telusa Veainu joining the franchise for two seasons.
The 22-year-old, who has also represented the Highlanders and Canterbury, has been signed as a developing foreign player as new coach Tony McGahan covers the loss of Japan-based former New Zealand Warriors and Wallabies wing Cooper Vuna.
Veainu's move across the Tasman follows the Rebels' acquisition of former All Blacks midfielder Tamati Ellison on a one-year deal as McGahan rebuilds a back division no longer featuring wayward Wallabies James O'Connor and Kurtley Beale.
Kawakawa-born Veainu, a member of New Zealand's junior World Cup-winning squad in 2010, is looking forward to the move after being limited to eight Super Rugby appearances with New Zealand's southern franchises since his debut for the Highlanders in 2011.
"The Rebels showed this year they are capable of competing with anybody. They're a team on the rise and I'm very excited about moving to Melbourne," said Veainu, who scored 21 tries in 34 games for Canterbury before transferring to Hawke's Bay this season.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/9175412/Kiwi-wing-Telusa-Veainu-joins-the-Rebels-cause

 

[TRF_heineken]

So what is the Maori word for Rebels??

 

[flying tiger]

Facts always speak louder than words

true, although Vuna and Rockobaro are actually "Aussies" in that they've lived in Australia for a while as opposed to Delve, Cipriani and co who are straight out imports.

nah no worries, i'm not that offended. just passionate about getting behind a team with a lot of competition from other codes.

The Rebels have improved their on feild performance year by year.

Year by year summary[edit]
Season Ladder Pos'n Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts Notes
2011 15th 16 3 0 13 281 560 −279 4 24[89] Won games against Brumbies,[78] Western Force and Hurricanes.[79]
2012 13th 16 4 0 12 362 520 −158 8 32 Won games against Blues, Crusaders[90] and the Western Force twice
2013 12th 16 5 0 12 382 515 −133 9 37


As for the Rebels being STACKED with foreigners you can draw your own conclusions from the table below.

The Rebels squad for the 2014 season:[108]

Props
Tonga Eddie Aholelei
Australia Paul Alo-Emile
Australia Max Lahiff
Australia Toby Smith
Australia Laurie Weeks
Hookers
Japan Shota Horie
Australia Tom Sexton Injury icon 2.svg
Locks
Australia Luke Jones
Australia Cadeyrn Neville
Australia Hugh Pyle
Australia Chris Thomson

Loose Forwards
Australia Colby Fainga'a
New Zealand Scott Fuglistaller
Australia Scott Higginbotham Captain
Australia Jordy Reid
Australia Lopeti Timani
Scrum-halves
Australia Luke Burgess
Australia Nic Stirzaker
Fly-halves
Australia Bryce Hegarty
Australia Angus Roberts

Centres
New Zealand Tamati Ellison
Australia Tom English
Australia Mitch Inman
Australia Lachlan Mitchell
Wingers
Australia Tom Kingston
New Zealand Telusa Veainu
Fullbacks
Fiji Alex Rokobaro
New Zealand Jason Woodward


The ARU aren't in a good place right now, abandoning two major commercial markets and an additional time zone to concentrate fringe talent around Sydney makes no sense .

Standings[edit]

Australian Conference
Pos Team Rnd W D L Bye PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 Australia Brumbies 18 10 2 4 2 430 295 +135 43 31 5 3 60
2 Australia Reds 18 10 2 4 2 321 296 +25 31 23 4 2 58
3 Australia Waratahs 18 8 0 8 2 411 371 +40 45 34 1 4 45
4 Australia Rebels 18 5 0 11 2 382 515 −133 44 65 4 5 37
5 Australia Force 18 4 1 11 2 267 366 −99 26 34 0 5 31


New Zealand Conference
Pos Team Rnd W D L Bye PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 New Zealand Chiefs 18 12 0 4 2 458 364 +94 50 38 8 2 66
2 New Zealand Crusaders 18 11 0 5 2 446 307 +139 44 31 5 3 60
3 New Zealand Blues 18 6 0 10 2 347 364 −17 40 36 6 6 44
4 New Zealand Hurricanes 18 6 0 10 2 386 457 −71 41 49 4 5 41
5 New Zealand Highlanders 18 3 0 13 2 374 496 −122 40 55 4 5 29


South African Conference
Pos Team Rnd W D L Bye PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 South Africa Bulls 18 12 0 4 2 448 330 +118 41 34 5 2 63
2 South Africa Cheetahs 18 10 0 6 2 382 358 +24 38 32 2 4 54
3 South Africa Stormers 18 9 0 7 2 346 292 +54 30 18 1 5 50
4 South Africa Sharks 18 8 0 8 2 384 305 +79 40 31 3 5 48
5 South Africa Kings 18 3 1 12 2 298 564 −266 27 69 2 0 24


Overall Standings
Pos Team Rnd W D L Bye PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 New Zealand Chiefs 18 12 0 4 2 458 364 +94 50 38 8 2 66
2 South Africa Bulls 18 12 0 4 2 448 330 +118 41 34 5 2 63
3 Australia Brumbies 18 10 2 4 2 430 295 +135 43 31 5 3 60
4 New Zealand Crusaders 18 11 0 5 2 446 307 +139 44 31 5 3 60
5 Australia Reds 18 10 2 4 2 321 296 +25 31 23 4 2 58
6 South Africa Cheetahs 18 10 0 6 2 382 358 +24 38 32 2 4 54
7 South Africa Stormers 18 9 0 7 2 346 292 +54 30 18 1 5 50
8 South Africa Sharks 18 8 0 8 2 384 305 +79 40 31 3 5 48
9 Australia Waratahs 18 8 0 8 2 411 371 +40 45 34 1 4 45
10 New Zealand Blues 18 6 0 10 2 347 364 −17 40 36 6 6 44
11 New Zealand Hurricanes 18 6 0 10 2 386 457 −71 41 49 4 5 41
12 Australia Rebels 18 5 0 11 2 382 515 −133 44 65 4 5 37
13 Australia Force 18 4 1 11 2 267 366 −99 26 34 0 5 31
14 New Zealand Highlanders 18 3 0 13 2 374 496 −122 40 55 4 5 29
15 South Africa Kings 18 3 1 12 2 298 564 −266 27 69 2 0 24

Source: sanzarrugby.com

Besides neither the Force or the Rebels finished last but why is nobody screaming for NZRU or SARU to drop a franchise each because they obviously don't have the playing talent to fill a fifth franchise.


The problems in the Rebels and Force stem from poor or non existent player pathways from Juniors to elite level .

 

[IRISH RUGBY MAN]

Toby Smith not a Kiwi?

And does anyone know when South African squads are announced?

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Besides neither the Force or the Rebels finished last but why is nobody screaming for NZRU or SARU to drop a franchise each because they obviously don't have the playing talent to fill a fifth franchise.


The problems in the Rebels and Force stem from poor or non existent player pathways from Juniors to elite level .

The Rebels and Force didn't finish last because they were guaranteed two matches against the likes of the each other and the Waratahs. Going even higher up, I'd rather play the Brumbies twice than the Bulls or the Crusaders twice. When you're part of the easiest pool is very easy to avoid finishing bottom. I think most people would agree that SA shouldn't have another team in the competition, five is enough. The Kings were poor, yes, but there's reason to believe that in the future they have potential to do well given the players that have come out of the region in the past. Your last point is not an excuse for keeping the teams, it's a justification for removing them.

 

[Darwin]

Toby Smith not a Kiwi?

Australian born, but moved to NZ at a young age, and played all his rugby in NZ. Expect him to be in the Aussie test squad before too long. The "country" label on Wikipedia (as I assume this is where the list is taken from) isn't really a good indication of whether these players are imports or not. It simply indicates which players are eligible for Australia, not whether they are imports or not. For example Tom Sexton was born in Melbourne, but has played all his rugby in Ireland - he would probably be considered an import. Max Lahiff is English born and breed and is most certainly an import - the only reason he is listed as an Australian is because his father was born in Australia.....

And does anyone know when South African squads are announced?

I think most of the South African sides have named wider training squads (of 50+ players). They tend to narrow these squads down in January, though sometimes you don't see finalized squads until a few weeks before the season starts. I'm sure some South African posters could provide a lot more info than me though!

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

The announcement of the SA sides is not as structured as in NZ. In NZ everything is synchronized, even the release of the new kits. Usually in January, the teams will announce the squads, as Darwin posted.

 

[flying tiger]

The Rebels and Force didn't finish last because they were guaranteed two matches against the likes of the each other and the Waratahs. Going even higher up, I'd rather play the Brumbies twice than the Bulls or the Crusaders twice. When you're part of the easiest pool is very easy to avoid finishing bottom. I think most people would agree that SA shouldn't have another team in the competition, five is enough. The Kings were poor, yes, but there's reason to believe that in the future they have potential to do well given the players that have come out of the region in the past. Your last point is not an excuse for keeping the teams, it's a justification for removing them.

If A had happened then maybe B would have occurred... It's a conditinal statement not based on facts but conjecture the assumption that something that never happened would have happened. Impossible to prove....


Removing teams higher up the ladder instead on lower on the ladder based on something subjective.

The draw featuring local derbies benefits all parties not just two of them and it's done for commerical reasons. Pulling out of Melbourne or Perth would mean losing your national footprint akin to giving up the half the country to other codes.

Management's job is to fix what isn't working if it's broken fix it. They took the money from the broadcaster and sponsors now deliver what you are legally obiligated to. Both of these franchises are a fact of life learn to live with it.

As a side note, Super 15 is broadcast into Asia and watched here there are 500 games or so per season, complete overkill nevertheless Australian ex pats like watching local derbies because they are LOCAL.

This is content as in entertainment games coming in from Perth live adds another time zone the same time zone as East Asia , NZ games are too early and SA games are too late. Weigh up the the value of the broadcast rights in East Asia before removing franchises that play in prime time.

 

[flying tiger]

Australian born, but moved to NZ at a young age, and played all his rugby in NZ. Expect him to be in the Aussie test squad before too long. The "country" label on Wikipedia (as I assume this is where the list is taken from) isn't really a good indication of whether these players are imports or not. It simply indicates which players are eligible for Australia, not whether they are imports or not. For example Tom Sexton was born in Melbourne, but has played all his rugby in Ireland - he would probably be considered an import. Max Lahiff is English born and breed and is most certainly an import - the only reason he is listed as an Australian is because his father was born in Australia.....


Toby Smith would have acquired Australian citizenship automatically at birth if born in Australia and if either of his parents was an Australian citizen. If so his citizenship status cannot be revoked he would have to renouce it instead.



I think most of the South African sides have named wider training squads (of 50+ players). They tend to narrow these squads down in January, though sometimes you don't see finalized squads until a few weeks before the season starts. I'm sure some South African posters could provide a lot more info than me though!

Toby Smith would have acquired Australian citizenship automatically at birth if born in Australia and if either of his parents was an Australian citizen. If so his citizenship status cannot be revoked he would have to renouce it instead. According the Australian embassy.

 

[IRISH RUGBY MAN]

Australian born, but moved to NZ at a young age, and played all his rugby in NZ. Expect him to be in the Aussie test squad before too long. The "country" label on Wikipedia (as I assume this is where the list is taken from) isn't really a good indication of whether these players are imports or not. It simply indicates which players are eligible for Australia, not whether they are imports or not. For example Tom Sexton was born in Melbourne, but has played all his rugby in Ireland - he would probably be considered an import. Max Lahiff is English born and breed and is most certainly an import - the only reason he is listed as an Australian is because his father was born in Australia.....



I think most of the South African sides have named wider training squads (of 50+ players). They tend to narrow these squads down in January, though sometimes you don't see finalized squads until a few weeks before the season starts. I'm sure some South African posters could provide a lot more info than me though!

Ah right I see, cheers mate. New Zealand missed a trick in Toby Smith in my opinion. Can't understand why the South Africans don't do it like New Zealand, for its so much better and organised that way

 

[Darwin]

Toby Smith would have acquired Australian citizenship automatically at birth if born in Australia and if either of his parents was an Australian citizen. If so his citizenship status cannot be revoked he would have to renouce it instead. According the Australian embassy.

While true, I'm not sure what the relevance of Smith's Australian citizenship (or otherwise - I understand he is not a citizen) is? I was simply explaining what the 'nationality' shown on Wikipedia meant, and suggested that it is not a good indicator as to whether a player is an 'import' or not...

 

[skunkworks]

The Rebels and Force didn't finish last because they were guaranteed two matches against the likes of the each other and the Waratahs. Going even higher up, I'd rather play the Brumbies twice than the Bulls or the Crusaders twice. When you're part of the easiest pool is very easy to avoid finishing bottom.

Now I may have the numbers slightly wrong but by my count the head to head regular season record Aus vs NZ teams in 2013 was 12 wins to Aussie teams and only 8 wins to Kiwi teams.
And seeing as the Force lost both games to the Rebels, you cannot say that thier two matches against them aided in the 13th place finish any more than if they had have played the Crusaders, Chiefs or Bulls twice. You are simply talking nonsense. How about giving stick to the SA teams for drawing the hopeless Kings twice, or the NZers for playing the Highlanders, the jokers in blue jerseys.
Don't get me wrong I'm not saying for a second that the Aussie conference is stronger, but I am saying that the view that the Aussie conference is notably weaker than either of the others is a tired old myth. And it is high time to get over it.

 

[flying tiger]

Super RugbyFixturesWallabiesLions TourRugby Championship6 NationsRugby RSSRebels surge to beat Tahs in rugby trial

The Melbourne Rebels reaped the rewards of a tough pre-season as they surged home to overcome the NSW Waratahs 33-28 on Saturday in their Super Rugby trial.

With the temperature hitting plus-40 degrees at Albury Sports Ground and the game played in quarters, the Rebels scored three tries in the third period to set up the win.

Melbourne had never previously won a trial game in their three years in the Super Rugby competition but, thanks to a gruelling pre-season campaign under new coach Tony McGahan, they powered home.

Rebel-turned-Tah Kurtley Beale played three quarters in his first match back from a shoulder reconstruction.

The Wallaby utility back rejoined the Waratahs after a tumultuous two years in Melbourne where he battled disciplinary and alcohol-related issues.

His Test season ended in June with a shoulder injury but Beale looked fit in his return and had some nice offloads in a busy game.

Beale played the opening half at five-eighth and then moved to fullback for the third quarter.

Regular NSW fullback Israel Folau, who only recently returned to training due to the Wallabies' tour in late 2013, ran the water for his team.

Melbourne trailed 21-12 at halftime, with NSW halfback Brendan McKibbin opening the scoring for his team.

The try of the half was set up by Rebels skipper Scott Higginbotham, who showed his rugby smarts to take a quick tap from a penalty and grubber the ball downfield.

Halfback Ben Meehan won the 40m race to the ball to close the lead to 14-12.

However, former Wallaby back-rower Stephen Hoiles, playing for a NSW contract, extended that to 19-12 with a try just before halftime.

Bryce Hegarty started at five-eighth for the Rebels in the second half and sparked the attack as he sidestepped his way through for a try.

Fullback Jason Woodward converted and then crossed for a try of his own to give his team the lead for the first time in the match.

Former Waratah Tom English scored after the three-quarter time hooter in his first match for his new team.

Another former Rebel Peter Betham crossed for a late try, converted by Bernard Foley, but the Waratahs couldn't close the gap.

 

[flying tiger]

Rebels open Super season with big win


By Melissa Woods, 1 Mar 2014
Tagged:
Melbourne Rebels, Rugby Union, Super Rugby

The Melbourne Rebels delivered on a pre-season of promise as they opened their Super Rugby season with a stunning 35-14 win over the Cheetahs.
The Rebels had never previously won a pre-season match but claimed three straight and then continued in the same impressive fashion at AAMI Park.
There were questions about how the backline would fire without the spark of the talented but troubled Wallabies duo Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor.
That was answered within the first five minutes as the Rebels turned up the pressure on the Cheetahs before sending the ball wide with winger Lachlan Mitchell collecting the spoils.
With eight new faces in the squad and a new coach in Tony McGahan, the Rebels looked fit and hungry.
They piled numbers into the breakdown and rattled the visitors with some fierce defence – long a Melbourne weakness.
New halves combination Bryce Hegarty and Luke Burgess looked sharp, with both scoring tries and the former Wallabies halfback named man of the match.
Skipper Scott Higginbotham, in his first competition game since shoulder and hip surgery, was another standout while flanker Sean McMahon, in his Super debut, also impressed.
The Rebels also showed some smart recruitment with Kiwi veterans centre Tamati Ellison and prop Toby Smith adding plenty to the side.

The Cheetahs, who had never lost to the Rebels, were uncharacteristically sloppy and failed to build any pressure through the match.
The home side led 17-0 at halftime, and left 10 points on the field through missed conversions and penalties with first Jason Woodward and then Hegarty off target.
It was the first time they'd ever kept an opponent scoreless in the opening 40 minutes.
The second try showed No.8 Higginbotham's array of skills when he took a quick tap and kicked the ball across field for a flying Woodward to touch down.
The Cheetahs were first on the scoreboard in the second half through replacement forward Jean Cook.
After Hegarty's 59th minute try, the Bloemfontein-based side closed the gap to 24-14 with Ryno Barnes getting across the line and there were shades of 2012 when they were beaten by the Cheetahs in the 83rd minute.
But a drop-goal by replacement back Angus Roberts, and then a penalty in the final minute made sure of a well-deserved victory before Higginbotham capped the night with a try in the corner.
McGahan said he was delighted for his players after a gruelling pre-season campaign.
"It was a really pleasing team effort from one to 15 and the reserves who came on certainly played their part so having everyone on the same page made things easier."
He said the side got off to the best possible start in terms of their pace and tempo and then their defence held firm when the Cheetahs fought in the second half.

They've got a great belief in each other and to play an excellent side in the Cheetahs and come away with a sound result is great for the whole organisation."
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske said he thought the Rebels would surprise plenty of other teams.
"They play with a lot of intensity and their break down is really good," he said.
Drotske lamented his team's high error rate.
"We put a lot of pressure on ourselves and all credit to the Rebels, they capitalised on that.
"I'm not happy with our performance."
The Cheetahs next face the Reds while the Rebels travel to Perth to take on the Western Force.
© AAP 2014