RaboDirect Rebels Name Team To Take On The Bye In Round 10

      The Melbourne Rebels team to take on the Bye in Round 10

The RaboDirect Rebels have made twenty two changes to their side that lost to the Southern Kings by 3 points in Round 9, with all players from that match not taking the field against the Bye in Round 10.

RaboDirect Rebels Head Coach, Damien Hill, has showed no faith in the Rebels side from last week's 27-30 loss at AAMI Park and has dropped all of them.

The RaboDirect Rebels to take on the Bye this weekend:

1. NOT Nic Henderson
2. NOT Ged Robinson
3. NOT Paul Alo-Emile
4. NOT Hugh Pyle
5. NOT Cadeyrn Neville
6. NOT Luke Jones
7. NOT Scott Fuglistaller
8. NOTScott Higginbotham (c)
9. NOT Nick Phipps
10. NOT James O'Connor
11. NOT Cooper Vuna
12. NOT Rory Sidey
13. NOT Mitch Inman
14. NOT Jason Woodward
15. NOT Richard Kingi

16. NOT Shota Horie
17. NOT Laurie Weeks
18. NOT Jordy Reid
19. NOT Jarrod Saffy
20. NOT Nic Stirzaker
21. NOT Lachlan Mitchell
22. NOT Angus Roberts

Michael Foley, head-coach of the Western Force, commented: "You are all a bunch of bloody idiots!".

Scott Higginbotham To Play Errol Flynn in New Telemovie

Melbourne Rebels' own Scott “The Mo” Higginbotham is set to star in a new made-for-television movie based on the life and exploits of Australian-born actor, romantic swashbuckler, Errol Flynn.

              Errol Flynn                            Scott Higginbotham

Higgers' finely-tuning moustache caught the eye of talent agents, who happened to be at the recent Western Force v Melbourne Rebels match at NIB Stadium. They were instantly taken by Scott's likeness to Errol Flynn and felt he (and his upper lip) would be an excellent choice to portray the playboy from Tasmania. A screen and folical test soon after confirmed that Scott was the right man for the role.

To be directed by ex-A Country Practice star, Grant Dodwell, Errol Flynn: My Swashbuckling Life, will air on Community Channel 31 on October 14 to mark the 54th anniversary of Flynn's death of a heart attack at the age of 50. Dodwell is enthusiastic about Higginbotham playing Flynn, saying "Scott is a natural acting talent and with the help of the world-renowned moustache coach, Doby Crimplebaum, he will bring a new depth to the life of this great Australian actor.

Scott Higginbotham is equally excited, adding "I had never considered acting before, but I am told that my facial hair is a natural, so I thought why not give it a go - show me my mark!".

Western Force head-coach, Michael Foley, was asked for comment, but he would not return our calls, though he did send us a text, saying "Shut the hell up!".

Shota Horie To Captain Rebels Against Kings

RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels Japanese import, Shota Horie, is set to be the teams' fifth captain when they take on the Southern Kings from South Africa this Saturday night at AAMI Park.   Horie has been named on the bench and despite the possibility he may not make it on the field, he is pumped at the opportunity to lead from the sideline.

"I am very honoured to be given the captaincy and will do my best to lead the team on or off the bench" said a very humbled Shora Horie. Rebels head coach, Damien Hill, shrugged off criticism that Horie had not had enough game time to warrant the little "c" next to his name: "Shota may not have had much time on the pitch, but you just have to see how he keeps the other boys on the bench in line, you just know he is a born leader". Nic Stirzaker agrees: "Having spent a lot of time on the bench with Shota, I am confident he will make a great captain". "He is always telling me to stop fidgeting and to sit up straight - I have learnt a lot from him this season".

Hill also says that language difficulties will not be an issue for Horie: "Shota has no issues understanding the calls, however, to help him out in more complex discussions with the referee and other players, Shota will have an interpreter with him on the field at all times, just in case".

A clearly excited Shota added: "I can't wait to have my turn as captain for the Rebels, I hope to make a big impact before someone else gets to have a turn in the next match". Hill was tight-lipped about who might get the next go at captain, but rumours are rife that Laurie Weeks will get the nod.

When Western Force head coach, Michael Foley, was asked to comment, he said "Oh, for God's sake, shut up!". 



Melbourne Rebels Propose New Two-Team Competition for 2014

The Melbourne Rebels today announced they are in talks with the Australian Rugby Union to develop a two-team rugby competition from 2014 called "Rugby Super 2's", which will pit the Melbourne Rebels against arch rivals the Western Force from Perth in a 16-round home and away competition.

On the eve of their 6th match against the Force the Rebels are currently 4-1 up and see this proposed competition as a great way to increase their win-loss ratio against the Force.   The format would see the two teams take on each other 16 times over the season, each playing at their home ground 8 times. The top two teams will play off in the final, with the team with the most wins hosting the final at home.

Embattled Rebels head coach Damien Hill is enthusiastic about the plan, saying "The Force have become strong rivals in our first three years, giving us the majority of our wins in our short history and we would like to build on that". Hill added "the team have been doing it tough over the past few weeks, but we are building and I am confident we can succeed in this new format next year". "Making it into the top two is an achievable target for us, with a home final at AAMI Park a real possibility".

The new competition would run alongside the existing Super Rugby competition, which would still field 15 teams, with new Australian franchises taking the place of Melbourne and Perth. It is not yet known which teams would play in 2014, but it is hotly tipped that teams from Adelaide and Hobart would fill the holes left by the Rebels and Force.

The ARU did not return our calls and when Western Force head coach Michael Foley was asked to comment on the proposal, all we got from him was "shut up, don't be so bloody stupid!".