The Melbourne Rebels have announced their squad to face a strong Blues outfit, in both teams' second trial match of the season, at AAMI Park on Saturday.
With eleven current or former All Blacks in the Blues squad that will make the trip to Melbourne, the Rebels will face a formidable opponent in the build-up to their 2012 Super Rugby campaign.
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Head coach Damien Hill is under no illusions about the size of the task at hand, but believes playing such quality opposition is the best way to prepare for the gruelling season ahead.
“We’ve got a great test coming up against the Blues given their performances over the last couple of seasons and the quality of the squad they have at their disposal,” said Hill.
“They’re two games out from their first game of their Super Rugby season as well so we expected them to send a very strong team.”
Despite last week’s 36-0 scoreline in the Rebels' first trial game against the Chiefs, Hill hasn’t deviated from the way the team is preparing for the season ahead.
“We haven’t changed the way we’ve trained or prepared too much this week,” said Hill.
“We haven’t gone away from the basics, we're looking to build for the opening round. We have a number of things to test against the Blues, and they’re a quality opposition to test ourselves against.”
Centre Mitch Inman, flyhalf James Hilgendorf and hooker Adam Freier all return to the match day squad after missing last week’s trial game due to injury. Captain Stirling Mortlock will miss the game as he continues to recover from a minor knee injury.
While last week’s game was played over four 20-minute quarters, this week’s game will return to the more customary format of two 40-minute halves. Hill will change his team considerably from one half to the next.
With eleven current or former All Blacks in the Blues squad that will make the trip to Melbourne, the Rebels will face a formidable opponent in the build-up to their 2012 Super Rugby campaign.
Super 15 rugby live
Rebels live
Head coach Damien Hill is under no illusions about the size of the task at hand, but believes playing such quality opposition is the best way to prepare for the gruelling season ahead.
“We’ve got a great test coming up against the Blues given their performances over the last couple of seasons and the quality of the squad they have at their disposal,” said Hill.
“They’re two games out from their first game of their Super Rugby season as well so we expected them to send a very strong team.”
Despite last week’s 36-0 scoreline in the Rebels' first trial game against the Chiefs, Hill hasn’t deviated from the way the team is preparing for the season ahead.
“We haven’t changed the way we’ve trained or prepared too much this week,” said Hill.
“We haven’t gone away from the basics, we're looking to build for the opening round. We have a number of things to test against the Blues, and they’re a quality opposition to test ourselves against.”
Centre Mitch Inman, flyhalf James Hilgendorf and hooker Adam Freier all return to the match day squad after missing last week’s trial game due to injury. Captain Stirling Mortlock will miss the game as he continues to recover from a minor knee injury.
While last week’s game was played over four 20-minute quarters, this week’s game will return to the more customary format of two 40-minute halves. Hill will change his team considerably from one half to the next.
