Super 15: Rebels vs Waratahs. AAMI Park (2/3/2012, 08:10 GMT)

[Darwin]

AAMI Park, Melbourne (2/3/2012, 08:10 GMT)

Referee: Bryce Lawrence
AR1: Andrew Lees
AR2: Angus Gardner
TMO: Matt Goddard​

 

[Aedaphon]

Come on the Rebels!

 

[Zed]

Come on the Rebels!

Be a good game - very interested in seeing Cipriani, JOC & Beale combine. Where is JOC playing - 12?

 

[Darwin]

Be a good game - very interested in seeing Cipriani, JOC & Beale combine. Where is JOC playing - 12?

Yep, sounds like he will be at 12 outside Cipriani.

 

[Zed]

Yep, sounds like he will be at 12 outside Cipriani.

Thats where he should have been playing for the Wallabies instead of McFail

 

[SomeOke]

It's quite possible my lack of knowledge about Australian rugby is giving me the wrong idea here but surely the rebels have no chance in this one.

The Waratahs are such a strong defensive outfit with a well organised pack I just can't see their back line getting any quality ball or being able to penetrate the Tah's defence much.

Surely if the Chiefs/Highlanders game proved anything it's that a star studded back line can't make up for a lack of grunt up front.

 

[TRF_heineken]

It's quite possible my lack of knowledge about Australian rugby is giving me the wrong idea here but surely the rebels have no chance in this one.

The Waratahs are such a strong defensive outfit with a well organised pack I just can't see their back line getting any quality ball or being able to penetrate the Tah's defence much.

Surely if the Chiefs/Highlanders game proved anything it's that a star studded back line can't make up for a lack of grunt up front.

I'm with you on this one...

even with JOC and Beale in the Rebels team, they need some grunt up front as you said...

I think the rebels will once again finish in the bottom 3 of the log like last year...

 

[Darwin]

It's quite possible my lack of knowledge about Australian rugby is giving me the wrong idea here but surely the rebels have no chance in this one.

The Waratahs are such a strong defensive outfit with a well organised pack I just can't see their back line getting any quality ball or being able to penetrate the Tah's defence much.

Surely if the Chiefs/Highlanders game proved anything it's that a star studded back line can't make up for a lack of grunt up front.

I wouldn't say no chance, but there is no doubt that the Waratahs should be big favourites. The Waratahs do look to be the better team (particularly in the forwards) but do have a lot of injuries, even though the season has just started. Though I do expect the Waratahs to win pretty comfortably due to their superior forward pack and far better defense, I do think the Rebels are at least capable of upsetting better teams, due to the presence of the backline players who are able to create something from nothing (Cipriani, O'Connor, Beale, and to a lesser extent Kingi and Vuna).

 

[Gena_ZA]

Based on my luck with predictions in the first round, the Rebels should take this 50-0 ...

 

[InsaneAsylum]

pretty sure beale is still out injured.

 

[Darwin]

pretty sure beale is still out injured.

According to this he is in doubt because of a hamstring injury (the same one he had most of last season?), but there is a possibly he will play.

 

[Darwin]

Waratahs named:
Bernard Foley, Tom Kingston, Rob Horne, Tom Carter, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Daniel Halangahu (capt), Sarel Pretorius, Wycliff Palu, Chris Alcock, Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Dean Mumm, Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Damien Fitzpatrick, Paddy Ryan, Lopeti Timani, Jono Jenkins, Brendan McKibbin, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Nathan Trist.

One change to the starting lineup: Bernard Foley comes into fullback, with Ashley-Cooper shifting to the wing, and Karauria-Henry moving to the bench. Not a big fan of playing AAC on the wing, as I've always thought he plays much better at centre or fullback. Barnes has been given another week off to recover from his groin injury. This team should be too good up front for the Rebels in my opinion.

 

[Darwin]

vBookie: Rebels v Waratahs

vBookie added.

 

[igziabeher]

Kurtley Beale likely to miss this game, reporting to an australian newspaper, Mark Gerrard to start at fullback for the Rebels.

 

[Zed]

It's a pretty handy rebels backline, even if their forwards don't dominate if they get some decent possession they could really do some damage.

 

[Darwin]

Rebels: Mark Gerrard, Lachlan Mitchell, Mitch Inman, James O'Connor, Cooper Vuna, Danny Cipriani, Nick Phipps, Gareth Delve, Tom Chamberlain, Luke Jones, Hugh Pyle, Adam Byrnes, Laurie Weeks, Adam Freier, Nic Henderson. Res: Luke Holmes, Rodney Blake, Alister Campbell, Jarrod Saffy, Richard Kingi, Lloyd Johansson, Julian Huxley.

A few interesting selections for the Rebels. Slightly surprised to see Byrnes given the start ahead of Campbell, but there is probably not much between them. I can only assume that Lipman is out injured (otherwise I would expect him to be starting at 7), but the big surprise to me is Luke Jones starting ahead of Saffy, who I thought looked very promising last season. The backline looks pretty good despite Beales absence - the only change I would have made would be to have Kingi at fullback (with Gerrard on the wing).

 

[Gena_ZA]

Where is Ged Robinson?, he performed well last year

 

[Darwin]

Where is Ged Robinson?, he performed well last year

He is out with a calf injury. It will be interesting to see who the Rebels first choice hooker is when he returns, as Frier is a good players too (and was injured all last season).

The Waratahs looked to have a huge edge in the tight-forwards, and I expect they will dominate at scrum and lineout time. Similarly they look like they should dominate in the loose too. There should be a good battle in the halves. Pretorius seems to have slotted in the Waratahs well, while Phipps looks good at this level. For the Rebels to win they need Cipriani to fire, as when he plays well he is very good. A good battle in the mid-field too - though Tom Carter is a pretty limited player I expect he could be quite effective running at the channel between O'Connor and Cipriani (if Cipriani defends at 10 - he defended on the wing at times last season).

Picking the Waratahs to win by 10-15, but you never really know with the Rebels - they could pull off a major surprise (or, just as likely, lose by 40!).

 

[Aedaphon]

Picking the Waratahs to win by 10-15, but you never really know with the Rebels - they could pull off a major surprise (or, just as likely, lose by 40!).

Too true for my liking <_<

Can't disagree with that prediction- as long as there are a couple of nice tries from both sides, I'll be happy

 

[Gena_ZA]

Cipriani to shine for 17 or so minutes till Digby runs over him after and then it's back to same old I reckon