The former wallaby comes back in the starting XV to face the impressive Sharks.
Right call for Tony McGahan, and I don't say this just for my Toulouse allegiance, but because Luke gives more order and physicality to the Rebels, both in the defensive and attacking phases. His passing is more precise than Nic Stirzaker’s and he tends to combine better with flyhalf Bryce Hegarty.Nic will be a good player to come in from the bench, when body’s will be inevitably tiered after playing against the strong South Africans.
I’m also pleased to see two Footscray Bulldogs aligned players in the starting XV in Cadeyrn Neville and debutant Cruze Ah-Nau.
Furthermore the Rebels will once again have 2 Brave Blossoms from the first whistle, Shota Horie and Male Sau, a confirm that Japanese rugby is on the rise.
The match against the table leading Sharks will be a very difficult one and arguably the biggest challenge for the Rebels this year. The team had a week rest after the remarkable win against the red hot Western Force and this could be double edged sword in many cases.
In my opinion the match is not completely out of reach of the Rebels, yes the Sharks lost only two matches, one of those last week, and their line-up is full of Springboks, but this will be the first match outside of his own shores for Jack White’s team. This year the other travelling South Africans have had pretty ordinary showings on the road, with their first overseas game of a series of four the Sharks will have to prove themselves as number one Chief’s successors candidates
The Rebels team announced:
15 Jason Woodward
14 Male Sau
13 Tamati Ellison
12 Mitch Inman
11 Tom English
10 Bryce Hegarty
9 Luke Burgess
8 Scott Higginbotham (C)
7 Scott Fuglistaller
6 Colby Fainga'a
5 Luke Jones
4 Cadeyrn Neville
3 Laurie Weeks
2 Shota Horie
1 Cruze Ah-Nau
Reserves: 16 Pat Leafa, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Paul Alo-Emilie, 19 Hugh Pyle, 20 Sean McMahon, 21 Nic Stirzaker, 22 Tom Kingston, 23 Angus Roberts
Info: Melbourne Rebels site
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