IT WAS expected the Melbourne Rebels would be rusty and somewhat disjointed when they took on Tonga in their first trial game last night at Olympic Park. They certainly were, but in between the clumsy periods, there were some promising stanzas during their 43-13 romp.
The real competition is still a few weeks away, but the Rebels did take a large step forward for local rugby when they took to the field for the first time. The name has been used before — when Melbourne made the final of the short-lived Australian Rugby Championship in 2007 — but just over six years after the city was overlooked for a berth in the Super 14 competition, it is now just three trials away from its inaugural Super Rugby season game against NSW Waratahs.
The Rebels last night seemed more concerned about getting combinations set, as coach Rod Macqueen split his team into two squads, which played a half each, rather than the end results. Tonga proved a tough first-up contest until the Pacific Islanders, who were without their European-based players, wilted in the second half.
“There was a lot of mistakes out there but the whole idea of this was not about winning or losing, it was about trying a lot of things,” Macqueen said. “All in all that’s what trials are for, [I was] disappointed with some areas of it, very happy with other areas.”
But rugby league convert Cooper Vuna whetted appetites for the season proper when he lived up to predictions by snaring three tries. Vuna, whose father played for Tonga, swapped to league in his early teens growing up in New Zealand and has been playing in the NRL with Newcastle, but he showed that he was carrying little rust back in his favoured code. However, there were other impressive efforts, with the likes of youngsters Lachlan Mitchell and JP du Plessis, also having some eye-catching moments.
The Rebels started the game, which was played in four quarters, with Danny Cipriani at five-eighth but the flashy English import, who stood out by donning fluoro-green boots, had fairly limited impact.
“Danny threw a couple of really good passes that weren’t taken. If they had been scooped up we might have been away a bit more,” Macqueen said.
While the Rebels tries were notable highlights, there was also plenty showing they will need every minute of the next three trial games to be ready for the Super Rugby opener. At times the team work looked atrocious — none worse than a period preceding Tonga’s first try that was blighted by poor passes and fumbles — and its defence looked flimsy.
But for many who attended — officially 8123 — a figure that included a large section of one of the grandstands reserved for Rebels invitees, just being there was a celebration that a code long promised in this city was one step closer to fruition.
Many spectators started the game watching from outside the fence line because the usual ticket booths were not open and they were redirected to the neighbouring AAMI Park booths. Others were caught in lengthy queues at the handful of food outlets that were open.
The Rebels’ start almost mirrored the tardiness off the field when hooker Viliami Pola made a bust through some flimsy defence but his kick ahead was cleaned up by the Rebels in their ingoal. From there the Rebels found their groove and scored two fluid tries, the first to Afusipa Taumoepeau, followed shortly after by another by du Plessis. The Tongans were limited in the first quarter to a wobbly penalty by Viliami Hakalo, which rebounded through after hitting the upright.
The second quarter began poorly for the Rebels, losing a lineout and shortly after lucky not to concede a try as players repeatedly fumbled and threw poor passes conceding a knock-on in goal. Tonga took advantage of the disarray from the subsequent scrum and sustained the pressure until lock Taumei Hikila ploughed over the line. Hakalo struck the conversion attempt far more confidently this time and Tongans trailed by 12-10.
The Tongans took a 13-12 lead midway through the second quarter when Hakalo converted another penalty attempt and held it until half-time.
MELBOURNE REBELS 43 Tries: Cooper Vuna (3), Peter Betham, Afusipa Taumoepeau, JP Du Plessis, Lachlan Mitchell; Cons: James Hilgendorf (2), Danny Cipriani, Richard Kingi bt TONGA 13 Try: Taumea Hikila; Viliami Hakalo con, two goals) at Olympic Park.