Melbourne Rebels realise reducing influence of Reds pair Will Genia and Quade Cooper key to success

SHUTTING down Queenslanders Will Genia and Quade Cooper will effectively decide Melbourne Rebels' fate tonight, according to Welshman Gareth Delve.

Will Genia

SHUTTING down Queensland's prime attacking threats - halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper - will effectively decide Melbourne Rebels' fate tonight, according to Welshman Gareth Delve.

Delve said the Rebels' form was no fluke, but success against the Reds would rest on their ability to nullify Genia and Cooper.

"The key to winning is shutting down their danger men and the Reds have two of the best halves in the world who do pull the strings and actually make each other play better," Delve said.

"They've certainly got a number of other players who have over the past couple of years grown in stature and are Wallaby regulars.

"James Horwill is back and has grown in stature.

"It's a big task for us but, with the confidence we've got, it's one we really feel up to."

Melbourne is yet to beat the Reds in five attempts, most recently losing by 10 points at AAMI Park on March 8.

After successive wins against the Stormers and NSW, Damien Hill's men travel to Suncorp Stadium with unprecedented confidence.

 Asked what factors had sparked the team's revival after its troubled South African tour, Delve said: "It's a combination of us being a pretty good team. If you look at our results and take that Sharks result (64-7) out of it, that was a bit of an aberration.

"While you don't want to make excuses for it, it happened and it was probably the kick up the a--- we needed.

"Since then we've tightened up everything, our standards at training.

"I think it's a realisation that when we don't get it right, those results can happen because we're playing in one of the best competitions in world rugby.

"And it's a case of never wanting that to happen again.

Genia Cooper for spl

"It's the first time we've actually questioned the pride and the efforts of this team and that really stung everyone.

"Since then, we've put everything on the line in every match."

Delve said the side's maturity - even without Wallabies Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor and Cooper Vuna - was telling.

"I wouldn't say we've played any better or done anything any better in the last two games," he said.

"It's more that composure that's built from suffering those close losses (to the Kings, Crusaders, Blues and Chiefs). For every team, there's an evolution that they go through where you have to cop some defeats.

"You have to cop some close defeats to have that experience to say, 'Well, the last time we were in this situation, we didn't do this so we ended up on the wrong side of it'. In the last couple of weeks, those things have worked for us.

"But in this competition, you're one penalty goal away from suffering a close loss. So it's always a work in progress."

MELBOURNE chief executive Rob Clarke yesterday refused to confirm reports the Rebels had poached star back Bernard Foley from NSW.

Conceding Melbourne had been "in dialogue" with Foley for 18 months, Clarke said the Rebels were delighted to have secured Waratahs winger Tom Kingston.

Clarke said talks with Foley were unrelated to conjecture about Wallaby flyhalf O'Connor's future.