What should new Super Rugby team be called?

Roar Guru

By rugbyfuture, 19 Dec 2009 rugbyfuture is a Roar Guru

Tagged:: Rugby Union, Super 15, Super Rugby, the rebels, Victorian Rugby

Related coverage

Wikipedia is the scourge of teachers, as it provides both hard information and general speculation. Browsing through the Super 14 page at Wikipedia, I saw that the Rebels (Australian rugby championship side) were put onto the roster as the Super 15 team.

As well as this, the Rebels page was changed to refer to it as the Super 15 team. I am still not sure of the team’s name, but I know that the new team was not the same entity as the ARC team.

This has to be a contentious issue to any of you Victorian rugby fans out there: good naming and branding is a must. But John O’Neil has come out and said he would prefer a new name, possibly chosen by the public.

Victoria as a State has a distinct lack of appropriate mascots, and it is hard to see, from a New South Welshman’s perspective, as to what an appropriate name could be.

I don’t like the Rebels name. But what’s everyone’s opinion on the team’s new name?

Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.

The Crowd Says (72) | Page 1 of Comments

Bay35Pablo said | December 19th 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment

Victoria are more likely to stick with the Rebels if JON doesn’t want it!

I don’t mind the Rebels, and it already has some goodwill behind it.

Various other names have been raised on the threads when Melbourne won the spot, many of which weren’t worthy.

If the cricket team didn’t already have it, I’d say the Bushrangers.

Just as long as it isn’t some wanky marketing term like Force …..

Reply
siva samoa said | December 19th 2009 @ 10:22am | Report comment

I would love to see the team call Victoria Rebels so when they take on the Queensland Reds and NSW it has that state vs state theme into it and make it more interesting.

Reply
sheek said | December 19th 2009 @ 10:36am | Report comment

I am surprised some people have a problem with the nickname ‘Rebels’.

For starters, it is entirely appropriate to the history of Victoria, which I’ve explained on a number of previous occasions. And for seconds, it would compliment the cricket state team, known as the Bushrangers.

If someone can come up with an improvement on Rebels, I’ll accept it, but right now, Rebels is head, shoulders, torso, waist & feet above any other suggestion I’ve heard.

Victoria Rebels.

I have to say it’s more appropriate than either Queensland Reds (Maroons?) or WA Force (state bird is a black swan).

Reply
- siva samoa said | December 19th 2009 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
  
  I like the Rebels name for the Victorian team but those not familiar with rugby will think its might have a connection to the bikie gang.
  
  Reply
Bunratty c said | December 19th 2009 @ 12:31pm | Report comment

Gold Diggers?

Reply
- mcxd said | December 20th 2009 @ 7:34am | Report comment
  
  nice… the cheers leaders could be an intresting collection. a whole lot of mutton dressed as lamb with bling.
  
  Reply
Timmypig said | December 19th 2009 @ 12:34pm | Report comment

I dunno, what about ….. ummmm ….. “Melbourne”, or “Victoria”. Why not break from the (vulgarly recent) past and leap into the future. I can picture it now: plain jersey, no flashy logos, Victorian state or Melbourne city coat of arms on the left breast, and let the name develop organically over years.

I know – it’s a bit futuristic and out there! But what a stunning concept!

Reply
- rugbyfuture said | December 19th 2009 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
  
  sponsorships would be harder
  
  Reply
  - Chris said | December 19th 2009 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
    
    You need sometime for people to yell out at the game: “Up the Rebels”.
    “Go Melbourne” or “Go Victoria” just sound pretentious. Besides – the Brumbies have shown that a mascot doesn’t need to be something thought up by a marketer.
    
    As long as its nothing like the “Force” (particularly ironic for a team that has been – for lack of a better word – s***house) I say go for it.
    
    Reply
    - Gary said | December 19th 2009 @ 3:45pm | Report comment
      
      That would be the “S***house” team that beat the Brumbies the Tahs and the Reds last season, the only Australian team to achieve the trifecta.
      
      Reply
      - Chris said | December 20th 2009 @ 10:56am | Report comment
        
        Yes – the same “s***house” team that have never made the finals, have a negative win loss ratio (even at home), and have just lost their best 2 players.
        
        I love how Force fans define the pinnacle of Rugby as the (recently invented) “Aussie Grand Slam”. Most teams define it as actually winning the comp.
        
        Reply
Gary said | December 19th 2009 @ 3:43pm | Report comment

The Melbourne Drizzle

Reply
Master Blaster said | December 19th 2009 @ 4:16pm | Report comment

I went to Phillip Island once. Call them the Melbourne Penquins.

Reply
stash said | December 19th 2009 @ 6:17pm | Report comment

Gold is quite good

Rebels is a bit convictee – I think the Australian public are a bit sensitive about that (and we’ve had enough rugby rebels in the last few months thanks)

How about Bitter – that could have a good sponsor tie-in…. hmmm maybe not

Ummm…the Nutters… or the Hooligans… the wombats…. the Smash and Grabs…. the Tormentors… the Doormats

The Kickers (no that would be the SA team)

So many choices

Reply
- stash said | December 19th 2009 @ 8:36pm | Report comment
  
  While I’m being culturally insensitive – if it was a kiwi team it could be the Fellas (see we can laugh at ourselves)
  
  Reply
Republican said | December 19th 2009 @ 8:14pm | Report comment

Just remember, no matter what you call them, this generic team will NOT represent Vic or Melbourne since they will be made up of players from all over the globe, which is even more of a farce than the Force who’s side was, from it’s inception a Qld B line up in the main.

Call them the ‘Globe Trotters’ ?

Reply
- rugbyfuture said | December 20th 2009 @ 11:02am | Report comment
  
  thats what proffesionalism is, it is hoped that they can still represent the state thats playing, you seem very cynical of everything around here, gain some pride in representation, this aint a political forum, its a sports forum
  
  Reply
- san jorge said | December 20th 2009 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
  
  You mean like the swans or lions represent Sydney and Melbourne??
  
  Reply
Master Blaster said | December 19th 2009 @ 8:47pm | Report comment

Melbourne Cuckoos. Because they will be nesting in a stadium built by the hard work of the Storm and Victory.

Reply
- siva samoa said | December 20th 2009 @ 6:53am | Report comment
  
  What did the Storm do to help with building the stadium ? I know alot of the Storms players are qualified brickies and labourers .
  
  Reply
  - rugbyfuture said | December 20th 2009 @ 11:02am | Report comment
    
    i do believe that the Rugby Union training and development camp is based there over any of the others
    
    Reply
  - PastHisBest said | December 20th 2009 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
    
    Not true SS…none of them are qualified…
    
    Reply