Super Rugby AU, Round Five - Teams and Predictions
WORLD’S BEST: Reece Hodge says Melbourne’s backs need to match the form of their wing Marika Koroibete, whom he says sits among the world’s best rugby players.
The Rebels are looking for a happy Super Rugby AU homecoming against the Waratahs at AAMI Park on Friday, playing their first home game in more than a year.
Koroibete has been a stand-out in the Rebels’ three matches this season, continuing his stellar 2020 form.
While a try has proved elusive, the Test wing is the runaway leader in defenders beaten in the competition.
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“Marika’s been unbelievable,” Hodge told AAP.
“He’d have to be in the top few players in the world the way he’s been playing and it’s pretty awesome as an inside back at the moment to be able to shift him the ball and know that he’s going to turn people inside out or make a line-break down the edge.
“He’s been a massive part of us being so close in the three games so far and hopefully we can get him a bit of ball in that left corner at AAMI Park.”
Koroibete is believed to be heading overseas at the end of the Super Rugby season, courted by multi-million dollar offers from Japan and European clubs.
Fellow Wallabies back Hodge said he hoped to keep him in Melbourne but backed his choice to move abroad.
“Obviously we’d love to have him stay beyond this year, both at the Rebels and for Australian rugby but he’s got a young family so he’s got to do what’s best for him and his family,” he said.
“He’s one of my good mates in this team and whatever is best for him and his family I’m happy with.”
Banking their first win in the last round against the Western Force after two tight losses to the Brumbies and Reds, Hodge said the rest of the backs needs to lift to match Koroibete’s efforts.
“Our forward pack had some massive moments in that last 20 minutes against the Storm and a man down, they really stood up and won us that game,” he said.
“I think it’s time for us to build on that as a squad … our backs need to execute better and really start scoring some points.”
Koroibete’s sizzling form hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Waratahs, who are coming off the bye and looking to kickstart their winless season.
NSW assistant coach Chris Whitaker described the 28-year-old former Rugby League star as “special”.
“Marika’s almost quite unconventional in that he roams around, he pick and goes, he just gets himself in the game,” Whitaker said on Thursday.
“He’s dynamic and just pops up everywhere so that’s going to be a big focus for us, just trying to control him for sure.”
We take a closer look at Round Five’s matches!
Friday, March 19:
Melbourne Rebels v Waratahs
(AAMI Park, Melbourne – Kick-off: 19.45; 08.45 GMT)
The Rebels have won two of their last three Super Rugby games against the Waratahs, as many as they had won in all their 17 Super Rugby meetings prior (L15).
The NSW Waratahs have lost their last three Super Rugby games against Australian opposition, scoring an average of just 11 points per game; a fourth consecutive defeat would equal their longest-ever losing streak in such fixtures.
The Rebels have conceded just one first-half try thus far in the 2021 Super Rugby AU campaign, the fewest of any team in the competition; however, they have also managed to score only one try in this period.
The Waratahs have a line-out success rate of 93 percent on their own throw this Super Rugby AU campaign, the highest of any team; however, their 71 percent success rate on their own feed of scrums is the lowest of any team.
Carlo Tizzano (Waratahs) has made 21 tackles per game in the 2021 Super Rugby AU campaign, six per game more than any other player in the competition.
Prediction
@rugby365com: Rebels by nine points.
Teams:
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Tom Pincus, 14 Lachlan Anderson, 13 Stacey Ili, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Matt To’omua (captain), 9 Joe Powell, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Joshua Kemeny, 5 Trevor Hosea, 4 Steve Cummins, 3 Pone Faamausili, 2 James Hanson, 1 Cabous Eloff.
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Tom Nowlan, 20 Robert Leota, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Glen Vaihu, 23 Frank Lomani.
Waratahs: 15 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Alex Newsome (captain), 12 Tepai Moeroa, 11 James Ramm, 10 Will Harrison, 9 Jack Grant, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Lachlan Swinton, 5 Sam Caird, 4 Hugh Sinclair, 3 Te Tera Faulkner, 2 David Porecki, 1 Harry Johnson-Holmes.
Replacements: 16 Tom Horton, 17 George Francis, 18 Darcy Breen, 19 Sam Wykes, 20 Jeremy Williams, 21 Henry Robertson, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Lalakai Foketi.
Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Amy Perrett, Graham Cooper
TMO: Brett Cronan
Saturday, March 20
Reds v Western Force
(Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane – Kick-off: 18.45; 16.45 AWST; 08.45 GMT)
The Queensland Reds won both of their meetings with the Western Force in the 2020 Super Rugby AU campaign, including a 57-5 win in their last meeting (Round Eight, 2020 Super Rugby AU) – their second-biggest win in Super Rugby history.
The Queensland Reds have won their last six regular-season Super Rugby games on the bounce; the last – and only previous – time they won more was a seven-game
stretch in the 2011 campaign.
Western Force have made more offloads (nine), more carries (144), and gained more metres (409) per game than any other team in the 2021 Super Rugby AU season.
Filipo Daugunu (Queensland Reds) has scored three tries and made a try assist in his last three home games in Super Rugby; he has also crossed for three tries in his two previous Super Rugby games against Western Force.
Kane Koteka (Western Force) has hit more effective rucks (88) and been the first man in at a ruck (60) more times than any other player this Super Rugby AU campaign.
Prediction
@rugby365com: Reds by 15 points.
Teams:
Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Jordan Petaia, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Ilaisa Droasese, 10 James O’Connor (captain), 9 Tate McDermott, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Angus Blyth, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Alex Mafi, 1 Dane Zander.
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Harry Hoopert, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Ryan Smith, 20 Seru Uru, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Hamish Stewart, 23 Bryce Hegarty.
Western Force: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Byron Ralston, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Henry Taefu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Brynard Stander (captain), 7 Kane Koteka, 6 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Sitaleki Timani, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Feleti Kaitu’u, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Jack Winchester, 17 Angus Wagner, 18 Santiago Medrabi, 19 Ryan McCauley, 20 Tim Anstee, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Jack McGregor, 23 Marcel Brache.
Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant referees: Nic Berry, Reuben Keane
TMO: Brett Cronan
Source: AAP & SANZAAR
*Statistical information provided by Stats Perform
