The Melbourne Rebels have been gifted extra motivation which could leave Super Rugby’s leaders the Hurricanes with egg on their faces.
They’re too smart to say it publicly but the Rebels will be spurred after the unbeaten Hurricanes opted to rest several key players from their clash on Friday night.
Under instruction to rest all of his All Blacks in at least two games this season, coach Chris Boyd chose the Westpac Stadium match with the 10th-placed Rebels to spell powerhouse winger Julian Savea, playmaker Beauden Barrett and prop Ben Franks among six changes to his team.
Among the replacements are former Rebels star Jason Woodward who gets a crack against his former teammates from fullback in place of the exciting Nehe Milner-Skudder.
Preparing for his 100th Super Rugby match, Rebels co-captain Scott Higginbotham was quick to downplay the significance of Boyd’s gamble.
“The Hurricanes have great depth in their squad and you take off bloke up and the next one is ready to step up and fill his spot,” Higginbotham said.
“We don’t see it as an advantage.”
However, the improved Rebels will feel they’re capable of beating any of their Super Rugby rivals after notching a breakthrough win over the Crusaders in Christchurch before going very close against defending champions NSW Waratahs and challengers the Brumbies.
Higginbotham said the difference in the Hurricanes this season under their new coach was improved defence and also their ability to close out matches – something his own side failed to do in last round 20-16 loss to the Lions.
“In the past the Hurricanes used to get ahead on points and they had a bit of a habit of going to sleep through the game and letting teams back into it and they’ve improved on that a lot,” he said.
Higginbotham said the 100 game milestone felt like it had been a long time coming, with his young teammates reminding him of his elder status.
“It’s the only place in the world where you’re 28 and you’re called old bull,” he said.
The Wallaby backrower will play in Japan after the World Cup but said he hadn’t ruled out a return to Super Rugby with Melbourne.
“I’ve got a lot of football left in me.
“I love playing in Melbourne and have grown very fond of the playing group here – they keep me young.”
Larry_Parallelogram
Guest
Since the S15 is now a conference system, getting in the top two of your conference is critical. Therefore the local derbies are more important, because if you win you not only advance you placing in your home conference but also hurt the chances of the team you beat in the same conference. When you play teams from other conferences the same dynamic doesn't exist as they are in a different conference. For this reason Chris Boyd has said winning local derbies are effectively double points. As a result, Boyd will rest his AB players during the cross - conference games and keep them for all the local derbies. It has nothing to do with TV ratings or how he views the Rebels. It's simply the best strategy to try and get into one of the top two positions of the NZ conference. As it turned out (5 tries to nil) it was more a kick in the nuts than a slap in the face.
Common Sense
Roar Rookie
Nup, they didn't read it.
atlas
Guest
good one Ken, hope you enjoyed the match; no eggs on Hurricanes' faces I could see, just five tries to nil.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Just wondering if the Rebels are slapping the 'Canes in the face by resting Timani?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Smashed?
mania
Guest
i dare, pray and hope
Emric
Guest
It makes sense to keep your best to try and win your home conference
Ozee316
Guest
The reason to rest ABs against foreign teams has nothing to do with team strength. Super Rugby is a business. Pure and simple. Super Rugby coaches have been 'asked' to have their stars lined up for NZ derby games since these get the best TV and match day attendances. It is all about money. Fans turn out in significantly lower numbers for gamee against non NZ teams so it makes commercial sense the NZR requested All Blacks be selectively rested during these rounds.
SAVAGE
Guest
Rebels, beat them first then talk.
Chuck
Guest
Like you said it will be
Not Bothered
Guest
The Rebels are OK but they are probably not a top half team. All the ABs will be rested and Im afraid that they will want to do it against he stronger sides very much.
Not Bothered
Guest
Slap in the face? 6 ABs are starting!
Darwin Stubbie
Guest
Will be looking out for Black when he comes on ... really rate this bloke and will interesting to see how he handles the step up ..
Digby
Roar Guru
Hardly slapping Rebels in face, had to happen. Thought they may have done so for away games but never mind. Marshall filled in a fair bit for Taranaki at 10 so am very comfortable with no Barrett and hopeful to see Black get some time too. May has plenty of experience and JTA on bench is a decent rotation so Franks won't be missed in my view. Savea has been an important cog to get matches moving so the back three will have to pull their socks up. Good test and opportunity for some of the lads.
atlas
Guest
Chris Boyd says it plainly enough - Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd means no disrespect to the visiting teams, but starting against the Rebels on Friday he plans to get through most, if not all, of his All Blacks' rest duties over the next five matches. "It's a tough situation, but we've taken the approach the New Zealand conference games represent double points really, so it's highly unlikely we will rest our All Blacks against any of the New Zealand teams," Boyd said, after making six changes to the team that started against the Highlanders in Dunedin. "When we looked at what was coming up, the Rebels, Stormers, Waratahs, Reds and Sharks, so we've got to try and get our rests in amongst those games. "We have a very tough back end of the season, I mean they are all tough games, but we play the Crusaders twice, the Chiefs twice, the Highlanders and Blues again, so all New Zealand games. We'd like to be close to having all our rotations done by the end of this block."
Shaggy
Guest
Given that Boyd has a number of All Blacks in his side, and he has to rest all of them twice, who should he rest his players against? He sees his toughest games (rightly or wrongly) against the other NZ franchises, so he wants his All Blacks available for those matches. If the Rebels were top of the Aussie conference, I'm sure he wouldn't have rested as many
Common Sense
Guest
I never bet on the Crusaders for their first game of the year no matter who they play.
Adsa
Guest
Dare to dream this year Mania?, Canes are looking sharp! I hope Jason Woodward plays well against his old team, he was great for the Rebels and it's a shame we have not seen much more of him, hopefully he can capitalise on this start.
Common Sense
Guest
Me too, then it might be a decent game.
mania
Guest
in theory losing to the rebels is heaps better than losing to say the tahs, stormers or bulls. rebels will be bottom dwellers again so wont be a threat to the top 8. boyd ideally should concentrate on nz teams as thats double value. points for the table as well improving conference standings. lets be honest here. rebels are here to make up numbers. they wont be serious contenders probably for another 10 years