The Melbourne Rebels have signed hooker Nathan Charles for the remainder of the Super Rugby season in an attempt to bolster their forward stocks and rescue their stuttering formline.
The Melbourne-based club, after starting the season by winning four of their first five games, have lost four of their last five to surrender top spot in the Australian conference to the Waratahs.
With the finals fast approaching and a lack of hookers at the club due to an arm injury to Jordan Uelese and under 20s international Sama Malolo becoming unavailable, Charles has been signed from English Premiership club Bath.
Charles has a stack of experience in Super Rugby, having previously represented the Brumbies and Force, while he also made his Wallabies debut 2014 and has four caps to his name.
The hooker departed Super Rugby for England in 2016 after leaving the Western Force.
Charles originally moved from Claremont to Bath to solve an injury crisis at hooker with the 29-year-old’s story a stunning one.
He is believed to be the only person in the world with cystic fibrosis to play any contact sport professionally. Charles was born with the condition which affects a person’s ability to breathe, with constant lung infections a major effect of the disease.
Ahead of his 2014 Wallabies debut, coach Ewen McKenzie said Charles had ‘defied logic.’
“If you look at the symptoms and classic outcomes of cystic fibrosis it’s not a great scenario from a sporting point of view, but he seems to have defied science and defied logic,” said McKenzie at the time.
Rebels general manager of rugby Nick Ryan said he would be a key addition for the club.
“We are fortunate to add an experienced player like Nathan to our squad mid-season and we look forward to him adding depth and competition in our hooking ranks,” said Ryan.
“We have identified our set piece work as an area of improvement. We see Nathan being a great acquisition in support of Anaru (Rangi), and in the absence of Jordan and Sama.”
The Rebels will look to turn their season back on track in their next match when they host the Crusaders in Round 12 on Friday night.
Train without a station
Guest
Very true also
piru
Roar Rookie
True enough, but the rubbish served up lately by some of the Aussie sides is asking for a turnover
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
A good unit is more important than a good hooker though. A good unit will get up uncontested. A perfect through can't stop a good contest if the unit loses.
piru
Roar Rookie
Look for the 50m breakout or intercept from him as he has some good toe! Or the winger who thought he'd scored in the corner being bundled into touch two metres out by a hooker coming out of nowhere
piru
Roar Rookie
Honestly think his lineout throwing alone should get him considered, back in the bad old days when we couldn't buy a victory in WA, the one thing that was a weapon was the lineout. Charles to Sharpe or Wykes was nearly always a gimme
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Probably not because he forgot about Latu and went for Uelese. It's just one of his classic contradictions. Wants a high impact, bigger hooker. But then wants lower import, smaller back rowers. Makes no sense. A high work rate hooker would complement a 3rd lock type 6 for example.
piru
Roar Rookie
Hate to give oxygen to conspiracies, but... could it be the blue of the jersey was the wrong shade?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Cheika's repeated omissions of Hanson has shown he has not interest in mobile hookers. Don't know why though. Loves mobile players who lack impact at this stage like Ned Hanigan. Loves picking multiple 7s.
piru
Roar Rookie
Yeah what use would he have for a hooker with an accurate lineout throw and the speed to make breaks and cover tackles! (agreeing sarcastically btw)
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I doubt he'd feature much under Cheika.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Interestingly Dave Horwitz is listed to start for Randwick this weekend. Given he is going to Ireland at the end of the season, yet to feature and probably behind Tuipolotu and Adams at 12 and 10, who are both yet to feature, I wonder if he's been released early. I know Jordy Reid is off to Ealing in June and he headed back to Sydney this week. I wonder if Horwitz has headed back for a few weeks at home before departing for pre-season also.
John R
Roar Guru
Thanks TWAS, I wasn't aware that those players had similar deals. It's nice to know that the Wallaby gold can still lure some of our juniors away from the riches of NRL!
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Beau Robinson, Rocky Elsom and Lopeti Timani were all at the Bulldogs as well before their Super Rugby careers. I always used to mix Charles and Whittaker up for some reason.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What a load of bollocks. The national body would have had nothing to do with this. It's a short term contract.
John R
Roar Guru
Fun fact: Nathan Charles was signed to the Bulldogs, but had a clause in his contract that said if he made the Australian Schoolboys (Junior Wallabies), he could reneg his contract. Thanks Wikipedia.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Another Force player channelled to the Rebels by R(EC)A.
cuw
Guest
NC played for bath - am sure i heard his name in commentary. He is coming back coz Bath season is finished now. ended close to bottom than top.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Spot on.
Hoges
Guest
Hansen would’ve been looking elsewhere the moment he was overlooked for the spring tour for a guy who hadn’t played Super Rugby.
Barry Crocker
Guest
Suspect they are a bit busy trying to fathom the Waratahs latest Annual Report. Great to see that Community Rugby had circa 30% cut from their budget to keep the ship afloat. Onwards & upwards :( On a positive note, if Nathan can stay fit & get game time, he will be a big asset to the Rebels. I also suspect he will spend quality time with the local Juniors as he did in Perth (one of too few I'm afraid...). Look for the 50m breakout or intercept from him as he has some good toe!