Melbourne Rebels coach Dave Wessels says he is “devastated” after his side were blown off the park by 51 points against the Chiefs and missed out on the Super Rugby finals.
The Rebels needed only a win to secure a spot in the playoffs but lost their last three matches of the season.
Wessels didn’t hold back in his assessment of what has gone wrong for the Rebels, telling media he believes there is a certain “softness” that has become part of the group, and even went as far as to criticise his own performance in recent weeks.
Failure to make the playoffs is a big blow for the Melbourne club, who have yet to have made it beyond the home and away stage of the campaign in their nine seasons.
Jacko
Guest
No one is blaming him for 1 bad kick....The other 2 that cost tries were just as bad....The absolutely pointless midfield kicks back to a Chiefs backline full of talant and the terrible defending...6 turnovers and being fended off by Webber...those were all schockers and QC is not up to SR standard.....and wasnt at tha start of the season........No its not all Qcs fault...genia did not have a good year and the forwards at times disapointed.......Wessels thinks plan A is all it takes and cannot improve a team or a player as was clearly demonstrated by the improvement in Jack D with just 6 games for the Chiefs
Jacko
Guest
Thats so different than what you have said earlier in the year...Wessels cant coach and QC is not SR standard......I said that in Feb....
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I have no doubt he’s in the top 15 players in the competition for it. Guess who the other 14 probably are?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Kick to ensure the D can’t rush. Otherwise the next phase remains under pressure. You saying “just take the tackle” being the solution to rush D shows the limit of your understanding. The fact is this is something they failed to do in past games when put under pressure. But hey. If you want to blame one guy who kicked for a player beating multiple defenders who were in a position to cover him and running 80m to score, then go ahead. Don’t expect many people to have any regard for your opinion though.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What’s your reasoning? Mine is that without any greater Wallaby experience across the team than the other 3 squads I fail to understand the reasoning that they should perform better?
KFar
Guest
Kick to relieve pressure or just take the tackle? It was a poor option, which resulted in a try to the opposition. Keep wearing those rose tinted glasses.
KFar
Guest
Haha, you just keep telling yourself that.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Cooper has been a professional rugby front runner in the proportion of his tackles that are only attempts for a long time now …
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Maybe they just over performed early? The fact is with similar squad experience they went 4-2 in Aus
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
He had to kick to relieve pressure. Chiefs were using a rush D. It’s the tactic you use to limit a team’s ability to do so
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
Massive decline in form by Genia,Meakes,DHP. Also Hodge & Maddocks disappointed lately.
KFar
Guest
The question is have they under performed. Yes, yes they have. Considering they were a shot away from their first finals ever then getting absolutely smoked in the last two games. They have massively under performed. How can you say their season was anything but a failure?
KFar
Guest
The Rebels lacked basic rugby nouse. When your kicks aren't working, keep kicking it back to them.
KFar
Guest
Come on TWAS, that kick Cooper put through was terrible. A player with his experience should know better. He had players to his left to pass that he could have used to build some pressure onto the Chiefs. How about Brad Weber's fend on Cooper. Very poor tackling from Quade.
Highlander
Guest
Yep, that kick was as good as a turnover - horrible Jack Deb is 192cm, picked it up with no pressure, went straight through the middle of two ineffective chases, offloads and then the Chiefs go 80 to score. Almost the tech book definition of a poorly weighted kick, wasn’t as if it was the only one for the night either was it.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Many say they wouldn’t select Hooper in a Wallabies squad. Doesn’t mean they’re right.
ethan
Guest
Nice to see him owning his mistakes and taking responsibility, unlike Cheika. I like the bloke and he's still a young coach. Tough gig, but good luck to him.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Would many swap phillip for Simmons? Or Hooper for Naisarani even? How about RHP for Hanigan? Or Talakai for Robertson?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Well I’ve only looked at the forward packs. Caps isn’t a fool proof measure. But at least it’s a somewhat objective and verifiable measure as opposed to “because I say so”.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Caps are one thing, but how many a serious Wallaby starters now? AAC has a ton of caps, but there are plenty of Rebels with just a few caps who are in peoples chosen squad long before AAC is.