Rebels
15
Match Complete
Western Force
16
| 77 |  | D. Miotti | ||
| 75 |  | T. Anstee | ||
| M. Toomua |  | 62 | ||
| 51 | | D. Miotti | ||
| M. Toomua | | 35 | ||
| 33 | | D. Miotti | ||
| M. Toomua | | 21 | ||
| 15 | | D. Miotti | ||
| M. Toomua | | 13 | ||
| R. Hodge | | 1 |
| 0 | Tries | 1 | ||
| 0 | Conversions | 1 | ||
| 5 | Penalty Goals | 3 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
We have a Super Rugby grudge match on our hands tonight as the Melbourne Rebels play host to the Western Force at AAMI Park. Join The Roar for live scores of the action from 7:45pm (AEST).
There’s always some feeling when these two take to the field after the Force were cut from Super Rugby in 2017 instead of the Rebels. There’s even more incentive for both sides tonight, with the winner to go some way to securing third spot on the ladder and the last place in the finals.
A win will draw the Western Australians level with their opponents on the table on ten points, while a bonus-point victory will propel them into outright third. If the Rebels get up, though, they’ll double their buffer to fourth place and, with just two games to come after tonight, will have all but sealed their place in the post-season.
Melbourne have made a couple of tweaks to their side for this crucial clash, the most notable one being Reece Hodge’s move to fullback to accommodate former sevens star Lewis Holland in midfield.
The Force, meanwhile, have made mass changes to their XV. Domingo Miotti gets his first start for the club at flyhalf, Jeremy Thrush returns to the second row, and Kyle Godwin will make his first appearance of the season in the centres – and as captain, too, with Brynard Stander and Ian Prior sitting on the pine.
Young England flyer Jordan Olowofela will make his first run-on appearance for the Force, and the club are hoping the speedster will be able to open the Rebels up out wide.
Game information
Kick-off: 7:45pm (AEST)
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Live stream: Stan Sport
Betting: Rebels $1.26, Force $3.80 (odds via PlayUp)
Teams
Rebels
(1-15): Cabous Eloff, James Hanson, Pone Faamausili, Rob Leota, Trevor Hosea, Josh Kemeny, Richard Hardwick, Michael Wells, Joe Powell, Matt To’omua (c), Marika Koroibete, Lewis Holland, Stacey Ili, Frank Lomani, Reece Hodge
Reserves: Jordan Uelese, Matt Gibbon, Lucio Sordoni, Steve Cummins, Brad Wilkin, James Tuttle, Tom Pincus, Jeral Skelton
Force
(1-15): Tom Robertson, Feleti Kaitu’u, Santiago Medrano, Jeremy Thrush, Sitaleki Timani, Fergus Lee-Warner, Kane Koteka, Tomas Lezana, Tomas Cubelli, Domingo Miotti, Jordan Olowofela, Kyle Godwin (c), Tevita Kuridrani, Byron Ralston, Jack McGregor
Reserves: Andrew Ready, Jack Winchester, Angus Wagner, Kieran Longbottom, Ryan McCauley, Tim Anstee, Brynard Stander, Ian Prior, Grason Makara, Richard Kahui (two to omit)
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Many Roarers and other commentators felt he should have had a run with Wallabies last year. In my mind that will be the answer to my question; whether he plays and looks like he deserves to be at that level.
Rhys
Roar Rookie
I feel like he's done pretty well this year, has dominated the rebels pack, done well in the lineout and looked handy with ball in hand.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
A great talent who burst on the scene as a young inexperienced lock in 2020. How fast do you think his progress has been this year? I don't have an informed view but I sort of expected him to be more dominant this year.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Last year they beat the Brumbies in Canberra, this year lost by a kick to both them and the Reds away by a kick after being forced on the road at the last minute and changing home games with lots of injuries at play. At home vs the Reds with players coming back you’d assume they are a good chance of winning and they fell in a heap. Likewise 2018 and 2019 with squads progressively improving. They looked good enough to make finals (but making up the numbers not challenging). Both years they had some decent wins but the difference between them and finals was losses to teams that finished below them on the ladder. For example I think they beat the Brumbies twice in 2019, but lost to the Tahs at least once.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
I never leave it ;-)
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
I don’t think the Rebels have ever got to the point where the weight of expectations has been a factor. They have never achieved anything to set expectations at anything above middle table and they don’t have a particularly passionate fan base. I think it is just more that Wessels is an okay but not great coach, and he has never had a particularly great roster to work with.
Clifto
Roar Pro
I'd hardly call it a "massive overstatement". Yes there are some injuries so you can have "very good" if not "great" list. The Waratahs would kill for a bunch of the Rebels' squad.
Dean
Roar Rookie
That game style is part of the Force culture, I like it. Let’s not forget that the Force, forced quite a few flashy NZ teams into arm wrestled over the years and they even won a few, including beating the unbeatable Christchurch team. They are a team that will punish ignorance and arrogance.
Dean
Roar Rookie
What an enjoyable game of Rugby, yes - it was low scoring however, it was a great contest to watch. As a neutral, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
LoL, Tim is in the doghouse for a week? :stoked:
Ac
Guest
Go.the Gush !
Rhys
Roar Rookie
Hosea maybe but he's also a great talent. Guys have improved for sure but no Paisami's sadly - considering Melbourne dropped him in 2018!
Faith
Roar Rookie
Let's have a chat during the trans Tasman comp lol
piru
Roar Rookie
I would love to see how offside that defender was. I'm betting it was a lot
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
I rate Robbo! He might have had the luxury of Timani behind him. Plus, Hanson isn’t the strongest scrummaging hooker. But I’d agree that Pone isn’t ready for the step up yet. I like him and I’m really biased so I’m willing to forgive myself.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
To be fair, Baxter was easily the best THP in Australia for years. He copped all the blame for a poor scrum that he was merely one part of. There are heaps of better players than Hodge.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Crying foul. Baxter went OK in 2003 against a very good English front row. Victim of poor scrummaging as a pack which did finally get fixed by Michael Foley.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
In fierce agreement as far as Cheika being a ST replacement. The best answer (as for the Tahs) but it is the ultimate short term solution, dripping with medium term risks. Where are the coaches coming through and who is developing them? I think Cheika is still relevant but fooling around in league or going overseas is what he needs to do for a while. Until RA stops dribbling on about tribalism and private equity and starts to focus on improving coaching across the game we won't move forward. I finally realised that the reason five teams did not work is not a shortage of players, it is a shortage of coaching and coaches.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
There is the other problem. Is there any particular player who has really taken his game to the next level under Wessels?
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Agree with this and the following comment made on Berne. We are really suffering on coaching development. Wessels is just not up to the standard required but where does he go from here? Presumably Japan or somewhere where he can parlay being a SR head coach as a qualification for the next job. He won't be dropping back to NRC or a club to refocus and reflect on what went wrong and how he can improve it. Just lost to the game here. A bit like players we over promote too early, but unlike players there is zero depth. Berne went straight from player to attack coach at Western Force? Is that really a coaching development pathway?