Melbourne Rebel’s Luke Rooney is tackled by Kutley Beale and Lachie Turner of the Waratahs, in the 2011 season opener match of the Super Rugby 15, played at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Friday Feb. 18, 2011. The Waratahs defeated the Rebels by 43-0. (AAP Image/Joe Castro).
On the plane flying down to Melbourne, five days before the Melbourne Rebels play the NSW Waratahs in their opening match of the 2011 Super Rugby tournament, I read the sports section of the Herald Sun.
This newspaper is the pulpit of AFL at its triumphal worst. It panders to the sort of AFL fundamentalism that saw a Victorian delegation travel to London in the 1890s to lobby the IRB to make the Australian Rules the world’s football code.
In Melbourne, and increasingly throughout Australia, the AFL has behaved as if the IRB had agreed with its demand.
So it was disappointing but predictable that there was only one relatively short story reviewing Friday’s Rebels – Waratahs match, arguably the most important game of rugby ever played in Melbourne.
The story was buried well back in the section. In the sports gossip section there was a staged photo-story featuring the Rebels captain Stirling Mortlock and a drummer from the band that is going to perform Rebels song before the big match.
There was not much consolation for rugby union supporters in Melbourne in the fact that the Melbourne Storm, a Premiership-winning rugby league franchise, scored only one story.
Tuesday 15 February
The Herald Sun’s main rugby story today features a prediction by the former Wallaby hooker, Brendan Cannon, that the Rebels will finish last in this year’s Super Rugby tournament. The heading is gleefully titled: “You’re Cannon fodder.”
The argument in the article is that new franchises generally “flounder” in their first year. The Rebels back-up squad is too inexperienced, Cannon says, to cover the inevitable injuries to the front line players. This sort of prediction falls into the category of G.K.Galbraith’s remark about a fellow economist who predicted six of the last two recessions.
Rebels coach Rod Macqueen’s problem is rather more complicated than Cannon’s forthright blast might suggest.
Rugby has changed significantly in the last two years to favour attacking rugby (which is hard to coach well) over defensive rugby (which is easier to coach). Chris Hickey, the Waratahs coach, who was Macqueen’s assistant with the ACT Brumbies, is wondering what tricks the smart Macqueen will bring to this new era.
I think I can help him.
Macqueen told me not long after he committed to coaching the Rebels that he is looking at rugby league strategies as a way of defeating rugby’s new flat-line defensive systems. England are already doing this with the former league winger, Chris Ashton.
Against Italy last weekend, Ashton scored three tries trailing the inside shoulders of the five-eights (in the league manner) as they took the ball to the line.
The Waratahs on Friday night, and the other teams throughout the season, should expect to see the former league winger Luke Rooney and Stirling Mortlock (both big runners like Ashton) running angles off the deft passing from Danny Cipriani playing a first receiver game.
Thursday February 17
Today was the day of the huge Weary Dunlop Rugby lunch. The Crown Casino, where the event was held, was so impressed with the number of heavyweights present (including the Victorian Premier Ted Ballieu, a former enthusiastic second-rower) and the sheer class of the entertainment (the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Teddy Tahu Rhodes) that they said they would pick up the tab for the event.
At the table for journalists I noticed Ron Reed taking notes of Alan Jones’ memorable speech.
Reed is a star sports columnist for the Herald Sun. Yesterday he wrote a piece virtually apologising for being too anti-football when he was sports editor. He gave the Rebels a good write-up in the column, indicating that some aspects of the AFL closed shop are being changed.
The lunch, which featured fireworks and enthusiastic talk of the Rebels being ‘competitive,’ ended with the unleashing of a great new rugby anthem For The Love Of The Game which was written and sung by Mike Brady.
This song doesn’t match the superb Up There Cazaly, surely the greatest football anthem ever, but it is a terrific song and anthem and will become a rugby classic.
Writing up my notes after the lunch, I suggested that now everything depended on the match against the Waratahs for the Rebels to cap off an historic week.
Friday February 18
As I watched on one of the ground television screens the upset victory of the Highlanders over the Hurricanes (making a mess of my Roar tips in the process), a number of Waratahs fans came up to me to say ‘hello.’
Even the great David Brockhoff had a chat with me. There were, it seemed to me, a large number of Waratahs fans who had flown down for the game. As one of them said, he had to be there for such an historic occasion.
Most of the 25, 254 spectators there at the splendid AAMI Stadium (the best rugby ground in the world, according to Rod Macqueen) were Rebels supporters.
It was amazing to see how many of them were decked out in the Rebels gear.
For the first 20 minutes or so the Rebels fired off their best shots, with good field position and a couple of bursts towards the Waratahs try line. The crowd roar during these assaults was thunderous.
You had the feeling that if the Rebels could get a score this crowd enthusiasm might have lifted the side to do great things. But it was not to be.
The Rebels scrum and lineout failed them whenever they were on attack. Their defensive line made some elementary positional mistakes. They had their hooker sin-binned and in the 10 minutes he was off the field the Waratahs piled on 19 points, more than enough to ensure a victory.
In the end the Waratahs ran away with the match, although the Rebels kept the scoring to under 50.
The crowd, after a Mexican wave or two, re-gathered its focus and roared the Rebels on at the end of the match when the home side tried to score a late try.
I believe that a true summary of the week is that the Rebels excelled with their off the field preparations. This is going to be a significant franchise in future.
But on the field?
Perhaps Brendan Cannon and the bookies who have already paid out for the Rebels finishing last will be right. But the great thing is that the Rebels were not as terrible as they might have been in our direst and darkest thoughts.
The side needs to get much better to be ‘competitive.’ But there is some hope that throughout the season, with the tremendous coaching staff the Rebels have, this could happen.
Republican
Guest
p.Tah I reckon you know exactly what I am suggesting.
Rob McLean
Guest
No one wants a new follower to the code?
p.Tah
Guest
'true to the 'News' script ' this is the 3rd time you've posted that comment recently... What are you suggesting?
Republican
Guest
Kiwikool You will, true to the 'News' script. It will be the only one for the season but the Brumbies are the weakest Australian link by a country mile albeit a scalp that will ensure morale amongst the true believers in the Melbourne Rebels, given their unchallenged Super status as far as Ozzie sides go.
Kiwikool
Guest
I am just happy that the SupeRugby is in Melbourne! Going to the game again level 3 East stand not a bad seat in the house! :) Hopefully we get our first points
Republican
Guest
zhenry Love your work!
Invictus
Guest
Agreed, the inside ball is nothing new in terms of back line attack in rugby.
jameswm
Guest
MyLeftFoot My post was a very dry and factual assessment of what is on a reasonably reliable website. It was not emotional, abusive or personal, only informative. I did it that way deliberately - present the facts and let people make up their own mind. Rebut it all you want, in the same vein. I have nothing against AFL - I'm even contemplating my son giving it a go.
warrenexpatinnz
Guest
Good work James
Ben S
Roar Guru
'Macqueen told me not long after he committed to coaching the Rebels that he is looking at rugby league strategies as a way of defeating rugby’s new flat-line defensive systems. England are already doing this with the former league winger, Chris Ashton. Against Italy last weekend, Ashton scored three tries trailing the inside shoulders of the five-eights (in the league manner) as they took the ball to the line.' I don't recall this being a league tactic? Anyway, England aren't 'already doing this', whatever this supposed 'this' is, that is simply the way Chris Ashton plays.
Ooaahh
Guest
I heard Melbourne was voted the sporting capital of the world, and they did all this with no local team playing internationals regularly.. Surely the rebels will garner support for this factor alone. On another note re slants in your posts diehard you only have to look at the abs to see a team of poachers living off the worth of other countries talents.
zhenry
Guest
Enough said editor.
zhenry
Guest
Most of the above comments are from an AU or at best expat NZ, SA point of view, and spot on a lot of them are and very pertinent to my gist which is from a ‘NZ interests’ point of view: Sheek (something very similar): Super Rugby is Australia’s domestic comp. If you don’t like that, blame SANZAR for allowing it to be so, the NZRU & SARU went along with it. You’re in the right direction Sheek, NZ and SA have been foolish enough to allow the AU domestic comp to be the blue print for SANZA. SA to their credit did not like it but Tew (that blinkered NZ apology for NZ rugby and ‘sound NZRU economics’ has in mind only the short term, he cant see round the corner of O’Neill’s glib mouth. Yes that’s right SA and NZ should provide the blue print for SANZA, instead the weakest Rugby link, AU gets its way! Mind you never underestimate the repetition, convenience and insidious narrow focus (presented as universal) of the corporate media. Fairfax and Murdoch have so brainwashed NZ that the people can’t distinguish what is NZ interests and what is AU interests. NZers are, or in process of, mindlessly smudging out their own country, including their national sport. The current Govt can’t sell off the remnants of NZs assets fast enough, guess in whose hands it will end up? Oh no Oh no no no says Key AU won’t do that. Already well on the way mate! Peak Oil, the end of globalisation and the beginning of localisation and he is selling off our assets; essentials, even further, will have to cover the costs of private profits. But I digress: Sheek, in essence you say:..The Rebels are there because of a broadcasting deal that in the end delivered not much more than the previous one .. but in the process dilutes what is meant to be our pinnacle competition..Look the Rebels will probably improve (how quickly?) but they are there to provide TV wallpaper to compete with the other 3 codes (in loo of an ARC). After all these years the NRL has not established an across the board NRL comp for Melbourne, can rugby achieve that? There is only so much elite Rugby can achieve against the tide of grassroots support. Tew is using that broadcasting deal to justify his support for O’Neill and to ‘prop up our NPC’. Tew can spin the so called economics to suit the present context as reported by Fairfax. Tew is squandering the NZ NPC for this AU designed comp that losses vast amounts of money and further deprives our NPC of financial and grassroots support. NZ has a small population who are increasingly finding it difficult to support the hog that is Super rugby and our essential NPC. Which is most important for NZ interests Mr Tew NPC or Super? The NPC made and make the ABs, the NZRU initially went with Super to give a wide number of players international experience, (the conference system nullifies that somewhat), a step up, sure a good idea, but not to disable our golden egg, but in conjunction with it, and not so crazy as to disable and quickly shorten the rugby lives of especially NZ and SA players. Supposedly on the back of Argentina player access O’Neill has been able to sneak in the term ‘overseas players’, so setting up the potential wind fall of NZ and SA players that will fill the vacancies of the 5 conference teams that AU will be unable to service. Tew is not starting off with ‘what is best for NZ rugby’ then applying what is best for NZ in the SANZA program (yes some compromises but not selling out your nursery), he is starting off with what is best for AU rugby then trying to salvage what are fast becoming the remnants of what is best for NZ rugby. I’ve mentioned before about Fairfax and the colic and red faced Tew being linked to ‘the disaster of the NPC’ and also looking smug and ‘know it all’ when it comes to putting his foot on the losses of the provinces. What about the losses of Super Rugby? Fairfax is always pointing to one side and every chance the mostly vacuous NZ journalists get, they talk up Super and how the players are just loving it and so looking forward to ‘falling flat on their faces with exhaustion and shortening their rugby careers’. You know who will prosper! The ARU and their vociferous supporters from the boardroom of Fairfax.
Rob McLean
Guest
Well, I follow Aussie rules teams and an A League side. Of the rugby codes, I've never been able to embrace league. I prefer, only slightly union. So...I was thinking I'd take a look at supporting a team. The Rebels being a new franchise and one in an Aussie rules stronghold, I thought they might be the team for me. Should I bother? Thoughts everyone...
MyLeftFoot
Guest
Koops of course it derserves a rebuttal, but the problem is that you and I have to argue with one hand tied behind our backs. if you're a rugby or soccer person, you can say anything you want about our national game, and the moderators will do bugger all if you try to put up a robust rebuttal, you better do it all gentleman like, because you'll be put on moderation immediately, a soccer or rugby fan just has to squeal to the moderators, and they will go on the side of the soccer/rugby fan on every occasion You know MLF, we just got abused for being anti-NRL. Can't win. Cheers. Roar Mods.
Paul Roberton
Guest
Let's not forget Digby Ioane played both Union and League for Victoria before he went to QLD.
El Gamba
Guest
DS, I am not sure whether to agree or disagree. I think your comments a bit harsh on the Rebels and Australian rugby when you consider the weaker of the SA and NZ sides. If you were truly to recreate an elite competition it would be back to Super 10's and rugby wouldn't have the latitude for growth in the southern hemisphere. I don't think that this would be a step forward. That being said, I think that I have decided that I personally don't like the new format - this is where I think I find some common ground with you in terms of aspiring towards an elite competition. I can't seem to get my head around the concept that every country/conference automatically gets a team in the finals, not just the finals but a top three spot (I think I am right in saying this). The top sides should make the finals. Period. To establish the top sides, they should play all of the other sides evenly. I am still trying to get my head around it.... but a format whereby each team plays each other team once (14 rounds rather than 16 rounds) that then somehow splits into a top and bottom half the top half playing for the cup and the bottom half playing for the plate sort of thing somehow...I know that their are far smarter people than me who worked this out but I sense a loss of purity, and as I mentioned on another post, too many games commentated by Clarke, Martin and Kearns.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Hi James! Thanks for the edification. Are you saying that the referees at the 1993/94 State of the Union match and last week’s Tahs v Rebels were wrong with the “mouthguard”? Plus MacQueen if indeed his teams practiced it? As I never played rugby and don’t have a rules book, I only have “The RFU Rugby Union Referees Manual” by Richard Greensted (2004, second edition) and it says “Additionally, players who are not participating must retired behind the offside line and stay there until the ruck/maul is finished.” Would you mind contributing to my education by citing the specific law(s) regarding the legality/illegality of the “mouthguard”? Agreed about what constitutes speed in attack, but I could fruitlessly quibble that I meant speed of the ball off the ruck as just one factor. Sorry about the misconstrued sweeping statement.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
The Waratahs are a very good side, and will probably be there at the business end of the season. The Rebels were playing in their very first game. I think the scoreline is simply indicative of the two sides. I didn't expect the Rebels to not score a point, but I did expect a very good Waratahs side to give them a touch-up. The Rebels will be fine - they have a good coach and some quality players, and will only improve. In rugby talk, they'll be better for the hit out. Let's not get carried away after one game.
Die hard
Roar Rookie
Hey Sheek, I am taking the p--s at times. But its because I.m for bottom up building, not top down. I really don;t believe it works. It only gives too much of the hard earned to a too small pool of personel. It tends to shrink opportunities rather than expand them in a perverse way. Flowers was on the right track with the Aussie rugger comp 2 or 3 years back but they canned it. Now there could have been a pathway and there could have been a supporter base to build on. I have to admit I think the success of the NRL and its weekend footy is a tall order to match but it must start somewhere and not with the Rebels.