Melbourne Rebels handed a nightmare start to Super Rugby season

REBELS boom recruit and former All Blacks star Adam Thomson has seen it all, but even his eyes widened when he first looked at his new side’s draw.

Melbourne Rebels players Luke Jones, Adam Thomson and Reece Hodge for big season preview piece at their home ground Carlton.. Picture Rebecca Michael.

MELBOURNE Rebels boom recruit and former All Blacks star Adam Thomson has seen it all, but even his eyes widened when he first looked at his new side’s draw.

Super Rugby is unquestionably one of the toughest and most competitive competitions on the planet, and that was before teams from Argentina and Japan were added to the mix from this season.

The league is ruthless and teams cannot afford to ease into the season, as a slow start often means the year is over before it has barely begun.

With that in mind, the Rebels have made a pact to throw everything at their opening block of games.

Four of its six opening matches are away from AAMI Park, with trips to Perth, South Africa and Tokyo before its first bye.

It starts on Friday night against Western Force at nib Stadium.

“It is a hellish opening, isn’t it?” Thomson laughed.

“I don’t think I have ever been involved in a team that has a tougher start than that. But I think that is an opportunity.

“We’ll get some tough games in early and if we can get a few wins, you’re off to a flying start.”

Thomson’s experience and leadership will be a key asset to the Rebels this season. The 33-year-old has 83 Super Rugby appearances for the Highlanders and Queensland Reds to his name, plus 29 Tests for the All Blacks.

Thomson played alongside Tamati Ellison for both the Highlanders and All Blacks, while he worked with Rebels assistant coach Zane Hilton at Canon Eagles in Japan. It was that connection that helped convince him to jump ship from the Reds at the end of last season.

Rebels Luke Jones, Adam Thomson and Reece Hodge face a tough start to their season.

His first impressions are good, finding many similarities to the Highlanders — a club that finally broke through to claim their first Super Rugby title last year.

“They remind me a lot of the Highlanders, who I spent a lot of time with,” he said.

“We went through a stage of being the underdog with people writing us off and eventually we learned to stand up and turn that attitude around. You see what they did last year, and their attitude is sort of the same at the Rebels as well.

“They have been a team that has been there or thereabouts, but consistency and a bit of belief will turn that around.”

Rebels fans were rapt with Thomson’s signature as he proved to be one of the top loose forwards in the southern hemisphere for a long time.

He is seen as a perfect replacement for former skipper Scott Higginbotham, who is now playing in Japan. Although the productive back-rower said he is of a different style to Higginbotham.

“I don’t see myself as a replacement per se,” he said.

“I have a lot of respect for Scott — he’s a great player and did some great things for the club. I just have to come here and be myself. I’m always 100 per cent committed to every team I play for and the Rebels will be no different.”