Rebels triumph in the Super Trial to finish off a terrifying week.
The Wallabies utility player, who made an impression in their previous trial victory against NSW, is expected to start in the No. 15 shirt for the Rebels’ first round match against the ACT in Melbourne on Friday night.
Bankrupt Melbourne’s future seems dire after going into voluntary administration this week with debts totaling more than $20 million and losing top executive Baden Stephenson to layoffs.
The players, whose contracts are guaranteed by Rugby Australia, carried on with their best work while they waited to find out if the team made it past this season.
Melbourne fielded their first-choice team, but despite Carter Gordon, the World Cup’s eighth-best player, they trailed 21-7 at the break following a tenacious effort.
In the closing moments, a thrilling young winger named Darby Lancaster—who will play for Australia in the Paris Olympics—passed to fellow winger Lachie Anderson at the ideal moment to score the game-winning try.
Alongside new additions Filipo Daugunu, a winger, and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, a lock, as well as backrowers Josh Kemeny and captain Rob Leota, Gordon looked impressive in the half with Ryan Louwrens.
Prior to the second half’s major substitutions, Taniela Tupou, another former Red Star, put in another hectic first half amidst a formidable Melbourne pack.
After playing all 80 minutes, Kellaway said his squad decided not to try to match the flashy Fijians, but instead tightened up in the second half.
“Our discipline, which is the same old story for us, needed to tighten up,” the 28-year-old, who was also involved in the Wallabies’ World Cup disaster, said. “We probably played too loose to begin and put ourselves under a bit of pressure.”
The players were not deterred by the emotions of losing long-term personnel; instead, Kellaway stated they were able to concentrate on their final hit-out.
“Everything that sort of happened has been well and truly above our pay grade, so we haven’t seen a great deal of what’s been going on, outside of what’s been in the media,” he explained.
Although it’s vital to recognize the work that those who have departed us have accomplished, Wednesday (the redundancies) was a very difficult day for everyone. Fortunately, we are fortunate to be extremely sheltered from that.
However, that didn’t have as great of an effect on the group as some might have assumed.
“The emotional side of things is important because we’re dealing with humans, but the big work for our team is to take the emotion out of the game.”