Will Genia to make Melbourne Rebels debut in grudge match against former team Queensland Reds

WILL Genia will make his debut for the Melbourne Rebels in a crowd-pulling return to Suncorp Stadium on Friday night in the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens.

Melbourne Rebels recruit Will Genia at training. Picture: Chris Gottaas

WILL Genia will make his debut for the Melbourne Rebels in a crowd-pulling return to Suncorp Stadium on Friday night in the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens.

No better script could be written for the champion halfback’s first outing at provincial level since 2015 than playing against his former team at his old home ground of nine seasons.

There were Queensland fans aplenty who thought the Reds should have found a way to re-sign Genia last year when he openly named them as his preferred choice.

Nothing is that simple in any of the football codes anymore and Genia seized on a fresh start and new challenges when the Rebels did jump at the chance to sign him.

The Rebels face the Reds in their second Pool A clash at the tournament on Friday night at 6.36pm.

Genia will instantly add more direction to the new-look Rebels who opened their season with a 50-19 trial loss to the Brumbies in Queanbeyan last Saturday night.

Will Genia at training with Melbourne Rebels. Picture: Chris Gottaas

New coach Dave Wessels has little time to blend a remodelled side, a mix of Rebels regulars and the influx of new faces from the now defunct Western Force.

That makes the Tens a vital piece of the pre-season for Wessels as time ticks towards the Super Rugby opener against the Reds in Melbourne on February 23.

“The Tens is an important part of our preparations and a valuable opportunity to build on our combinations,” Wessels said.

“Will has impressed me just with the way he’s bought into his new club and how he wants to win and make us successful.”

Genia, who has beaten a bruised back sustained last week, will share time at halfback with sharp former Australian Under-20s halfback Harrison Goddard.

Will Genia is set to be a crowd-puller in his first game for the Rebels.

Livewire winger Henry Hutchison, a try-scorer against the Brumbies, will get a further chance to impress at his new club in the Tens.

There will also be chances for five-eighth Jack Debreczeni, recently returned from Japan, new inside centre David Horwitz and young lock Trevor Hosea.

The glut of young locks at the Reds meant Hosea, a Brisbane Boys College product, was a prime pick-up for the Rebels.

At just 18, he ripped into some late trial minutes against the Brumbies.