Our Super Rugby preview series continues with the Melbourne Rebels. After five years in the competition, are they ready to take a big step forward and play finals for the first time?
Last season
Although a 7-9 record and tenth-placed finish was well short of finals in the 2015 Super Rugby season, it represented the best results yet for the Melbourne Rebels in the five-year history of the franchise.
The season opened with a win for the Rebels against the Crusaders in the first round, and then another came in the fifth, against the Western Force. Those were the only two wins from the first six games for the side, but were followed by a dominant run of play that saw them win four from their next five – against the Reds, Brumbies, a cracker against the Chiefs and finally the Blues.
More:
» ACT Brumbies preview
» Western Force preview
» Queensland Reds preview
» Africa 1 Conference preview
Looking to push for a finals spot in what was left of the season, the Rebels hopes were crushed by back-to-back losses in South Africa to the Stormers and the Sharks.
A year of progress for the Rebels in which they suggested they’ll be a tough team to face in the future. But every team would like to progress that little bit more progress than it does.
The draw
The Rebels’ draw starts off hard, but gets easier. A trip to Perth, followed by a one-game tour of the Republic, followed by going home then off to Japan.
After that, things get easier, and aside from a few New Zealand ventures, the Rebels will be pretty pleased with what they’ve been given.
It might be a tough start, but it will get easier.
The squad
In: Ryan Cocker, Jamie Hagan, James Hanson, Siliva Siliva, Culum Retallick, Adam Thomson, Reece Hodge.
Out: Paul Alo-Emile, Keita Inagaki, Tom Sexton, Ben Whittaker, Cadeyrn Neville, Scott Higginbotham, Radike Samo, Luke Burgess, Tom Kingston, Telusa Veainu, Bryce Hegarty.
Former All-Black Adam Thomson is the biggest signing of the lot for the Rebels. Thompson played 29 Tests for New Zealand in 2008-2012, including the 2011 World Cup victory, and has previously played with the Highlanders and the Reds.
He should fit in as a great replacement for the big loss of captain Higginbotham, who has gone from the Rebels and the Super Rugby competition to play for Japanese team the NEC Green Rockets in the Top League.
The other major news in the squad ahead of the new season is that Nic Stirzaker will take over as captain. A young option, 24-year-old Stirzaker has played 37 games for the Rebels since debuting in 2012, but was the stand out choice according to coach Tony McGahan.
On top of that, despite losing the likes of Caderyn Neville and Bryce Hegarty, they have a big gain in former Reds hooker James Hanson.
Hanson will add plenty around the park, as well as stable throwing for the Rebels in a position they haven’t been flush with talent in the past few years.
They’ll also be pleased to hold onto their promising talent from last year, with the backline looking the goods if it can stay injury free, and plenty of aggressive forwards.
Full Rebels Squad for 2016
Cruze Ah-Nau, Paul Asquith, Ryan Cocker, Cam Crawford, Steve Cummins, Jack Debreczeni, Tamati Ellison, Tom English, Colby Fainga’a, Harley Fox, Scott Fuglistaller, Jamie Hagan, James Hanson, Matt Harris, Daniel Hawkins, Reece Hodge, Mitch Inman, Sam Jeffries, Luke Jones, Patrick Leafa, Rob Leota, Sean McMahon, Kotaru Matsushima, Ben Meehan, Tim Metcher, Sefanaia Naivalu, Jonah Placid, Callum Retallick, Jordy Reid, Dom Shipperley, Siliva Siliva, Michael Snowden, Nic Stirzaker (c), Toby Smith, Adam Thompson, Lopeti Timani, Sean Tuipulotu, Laurie Weeks.
Prospects for 2016
Higginbotham is no small loss for the Rebels but the recruitment of Thompson offsets that significantly. A young captain gives the team a lot of focus on a hopefully bright future. Whether or not that can translate into a finals appearance this year, of course, is a difficult question.
It seems to us that the Rebels should be a shout for one of the wild card spots available to the Australasian conference. Whether they’ll get there is an entirely different question.
Our prediction is third in the Aussie conference, but not quite good enough for a finals spot.
Prediction: 9th
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