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The Melbourne Rebels have landed their biggest fish – both in size and value – with Wallabies lock Adam Coleman joining the Super Rugby club.
The Melbourne side, which only won one game in 2017, has been remodelled under former Western Force coach Dave Wessels with Coleman the 16th new player signing on.
Of that 16, 11 have come from the defunct Force.
Coleman’s signature on a two-year deal, along with that of Test halfback Will Genia, should see the club transform from easybeats to Australian conference heavyweights.
The 26-year-old has also committed to Australian rugby until the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
“I’m excited to get down to Melbourne and join up with the boys,” said Coleman, whose Wallabies’ spring tour was cut short by a thumb injury that required surgery.
“They have made some great signings, that have added nicely to the talented guys that are already there so we’ll be aiming to give Super Rugby a good shake next year.”
Coleman said that the recruitment of Wessels was a big factor in him joining the Rebels, where he will play alongside fellow Test rookie and ex-Force player Matt Phillip, who signed on last week.
Wessels was thrilled to have landed his man, who was tempted by big money offers from overseas.
“He’s grown a lot as a player, person and leader over the last couple of years and he’s genuine about wanting to become the best lock in the world,” Wessels said.
“We’ve got a lot of hard work ahead of us but I think Adam will be a big contributor to the future success of Australian rugby, with the Wallabies and Melbourne Rebels, for many years to come.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.