Melbourne are set to be in the unusual position of favourites to win a rugby union title when the new National Rugby Championship (NRC) gets under way.
While the Rebels picked up the Super Rugby wooden spoon, the Melbourne Rising have announced a strong squad for the coming NRC.
With four teams in NSW and two in Queensland in the nine-team competition, their Super sides must split their talent.
Perth Spirit have the travel factor while the University of Canberra Vikings will be missing many Brumbies players due to Test commitments.
The Rising have just two Wallabies absent in Scott Higginbotham and Luke Burgess, leaving them with a formidable 33-man squad packed with 16 Super Rugby players.
Rebels regulars Mitch Inman, Pat Leafa, Sean McMahon, Tom English and Luke Jones were among the squad unveiled.
They will wear an electric blue and pink playing strip.
Coach Sean Hedger said the team wasn’t primarily using the NRC to identify and develop players; they were out to win.
“First and foremost, winning is the main objective,” Hedger said.
“The nature of the competition will provide opportunities for local players and that will be on merit.”
All nine Victorian clubs are represented in the squad, and Hedger is eager to see how those players flourish with a higher level of training and standard of play.
Outside back Joe Kamana, 23, is one of those players after getting a taste of Super Rugby when he played in the Rebels’ trial match against NSW this year.
Rebels and now Rising halfback Nic Stirzaker said he was looking forward to putting a disappointing end to the Super Rugby season behind him.
“Everyone’s looking forward to the chance to play more footy,” Stirzaker said.
“One of the positives is that it will give us a chance to work more on our combinations.
“New Zealand and South Africa have this sort of competition and I think it will be really good for our depth.”
The Rising open their season against the North Harbour Rays with a night match on August 22.
Rugby stu
Guest
Wow rugby fans are seriously just rediculously painfully, negative. Their facebook page looks great and they have been very active in promoting this team, I think they will be successful and their strip looks eye-catching. Best of luck to the rising they certainly have a lot of potential.
rugbyboy
Guest
and they call it a development and talent identification grade to increase Australia's rugby depth. What a joke! A coach's career progression generally depends on success and so they will continue to flog the same experienced but battered and tired S15 horses
Bakkies
Guest
For the NRC it is fine to an extent but in Super Rugby it's not. The Melbourne Rebels are Victoria's and the VRU's team not just Melbourne's playing in a comp that uses wider representative areas to represent. Melbourne may be the big market but Victorians are very parochial about these things and Vic country needs development work to increase the participation and support base.
Nigel Imrie
Guest
Melissa, night match on August 22nd? Where? Let there be no mystery always inform us mere mortals of the location of the match. Great article, keep up good work!!
Nigel Imrie
Guest
Must agree with u mate, location, location, who advises these suits?
30mm tags
Guest
I Agree. What's wrong with just "Melbourne", rather than some chefs call of the progress of the yeast. Etc etc.
sheek
Roar Guru
"New Zealand and South Africa have this sort of competition and I think it will be really good for our depth." Really? NZ actually have provinces with place names indicating a specific area - Auckland, Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, Counties-Manakau, South Canterbury, Northland, Wairarapa-Bush, King Country, etc, etc. UC Vikings is from where actually? And NSW Country represents who exactly?? And Greater Sydney??? SA have abandoned provincial names mainly because of their political connection with the old apartheid regime. Hopefully over time, they will find new acceptable provincial names. I would have thought when establishing a national domestic comp, you would attempt to ensure all the teams had a historical, traditional, heritage & tribal connection with their region. So as to quickly build a deep bond with fans & community. But then again, there's the BBL.....
greg dowden
Guest
Favorites for the spoon yes
kunming tiger
Guest
Better hope they do well the franchise can ill afford another debacle on the field.