Rebels v Crusaders

[cgrant]

Good to see Dunshea on the bench. He has the potential to win the Nr.6 jersey in the starting XV though he has been named here as a lock cover.

[Stargazer]

Rebels
1 Fereti Sa’aga
2 Anaru Rangi
3 Sam Talakai
4 Geoff Parling
5 Adam Coleman (C)
6 Angus Cottrell
7 Colby Fainga’a
8 Amanaki Mafi
9 Will Genia
10 Jack Debreczeni
11 Marika Koroibete
12 Billy Meakes
13 Reece Hodge
14 Sefa Naivalu
15 Jack Maddocks

Reserves
16 Nathan Charles
17 Tetera Faulkner
18 Jermaine Ainsley
19 Matt Philip
20 Lopeti Timani
21 Michael Ruru
22 Tom English
23 Semisi Tupou

Genia returns, front row replaced for Rebels

Wessels has made a number of changes to the pack, which struggled in last round's loss to the Stormers in Cape Town.

Fereti Sa'aga and Sam Talakai are promoted to starting props while lock Geoff Parling and flanker Colby Fainga'a also come into the run-on side.

Wallabies fullback Dane Haylett-Petty is still missing through concussion.

Without Wallabies hooker Jordan Uelese for another three weeks with an arm injury, ex-Western Force rake Nathan Charles has been named on the bench after only joining the club this week from UK club Bath.

[Wally]

@chris-b

Saw Luke hobbling badly out of the sports medicine clinic in our building on Monday. Looked like he might be a couple of weeks away yet.
Harry Allan played for Sydenham last week. He’s a very solid player who does every aspect of his core jobs very well. A bit like a Dave Hewitt. Although I have seen him (at colts level) score with pace from 50 m out. So a bit faster than Dave.

[cgrant]

Hewett was rock solid and a reliable tight forward. I can only hope that Allan will follow the same path.

[SammyC]

@chris-b said in Rebels v Crusaders:

Any knowledge of Harry Allan (Sammy?)?

Seen him played a few games for Sydenham this year. Hugely promising in my opinion.

Scrums exceptionally well for a 20 year old

[Stargazer]

@sammyc Great, NZ needs promising props.

[akan004]

@stargazer And locks.

[Machpants]

@akan004 What we've the best locking combo in the world, and they're both still youngish

[akan004]

@machpants said in Rebels v Crusaders:

@akan004 What we've the best locking combo in the world, and they're both still youngish

True but we have very little after that. Injuries can happen.

[Machpants]

I'm pretty happy with the back ups, TBH, but we certainly need more props, just cos we go through so many. And 10s.

[Stargazer]

@machpants and hookers, esp if Coles doesn't return (which by no means is a given).

[Machpants]

Yeah crazy that the canes have three ABs/wider squad hookers - and two of them are out!

[Chris B.]

@wally Richard Knowler suggesting Romano won't make the French series. I guess the likely replacement is Tuipolotu, though there seem to be plenty of reservations on here about his form.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/103585596/crusaders-aim-to-extend-aussies-super-rugby-misery-in-melbourne

I think we're reasonably well off for tighthead props, with Franks, Laulala, Tu'ungafasi and Toomaga-Allen to start with.

Loosehead is a major worry with neither Moody nor Hames having played a game this year and the apparent next cabs of the rank, Perry and Moli, both injured as well. Moody is evidently close to returning, but Hames is a long-term concussion victim. Quite who is the real third choice is a bit of a mystery, since so many looseheads have been injured in the past 12 months.

[Bovidae]

@chris-b

They may also name Fifita as a lock/loose forward to accommodate another loosie in the squad.

[Gunner]

The only thing worse than the Chiefs performance tonight - listening to these bloody Aussie comms.
Game hasn’t even started and they’re already annoying me.

[Machpants]

Mute button is your friend

[antipodean]

Can Drummond kick?

[Gunner]

The Rebels are doing all they can to slow the Crusaders ball, still getting away with a fair bit despite being pinged a couple of times already.

Good try

[Gunner]

Goodhue saves the day after Seta was made to look like an old cart horse by the Rebels 6.

[Gunner]

Another good try.
Crusaders are looking lethal when they get on the front foot with half a sniff