Super Rugby 2016: Rebels hope to kick on in bleak Hamilton

Melbourne Rebels arrived in Hamilton yesterday to meet a team today fired up for revenge.

Melbourne Rebels fullback Mike Harris will be better for a run under his belt. Picture: Lawrence Pinder.

A cold, wet and bleak Hamilton greeted the Melbourne Rebels on their arrival in New Zealand yesterday but that will be the warmest part of the welcome they receive, with the Chiefs antsy to avenge their last-start loss.

Not only did the Chiefs go down 26-13 to the Highlanders last weekend but they also lost their last outing against the Rebels, a 16-15 cliffhanger in Melbourne last year. As the joint competition leaders, vying with the Crusaders and Highlanders on 37 points, the Waikato side will not want to waste this opportunity to make it three-for-three bonus point wins against an Australian opponent this season.

Still, aside from their debut meeting, there has never been more than six points between these sides. “We seem to be pretty competitive against them, for whatever reason, but it’s going to be a hard slog, this match,” said coach Tony McGahan.

“It’s going to be a scrum-fest and we have to measure up there and the goal­kicking will be extremely important.”

Happily for the Rebels, fullback Mike Harris now has a full match under his belt since returning from injury and will take the close shots at goal while Jack Debreczini will take the longer attempts. It’s a good combination. Harris is ­deadly from close range while ­Debreczini kicks best when ex­pectations of him are low — and long-range shots are always a hit-or-miss affair.

They also will play a crucial role in kicking the ball out of hand and with outside centre Reece Hodge there should be no doubts about the Rebels’ ability to exit cleanly.

“Playing the Cheetahs, it’s very important that we control the when, how and why of giving them the ball,” McGahan said. “We have to invite them in on our terms.”

The smiling assassin, fullback David McKenzie, will be the Chiefs player mostly gathering those kicks and it is no wonder McGahan has laid down the law to his kickers to go deep or go ­contestable.

McKenzie has made more ­metres running the ball back than any player in Super Rugby, more than 60m further than All Black fullback Ben Smith who is No 2, and as a relatively light player, he could be doubly a handful if he is able to step chasers in the wet.

The Rebels will go into the match without their leading lineout jumper Luke Jones, who took a knock last week against the ­Brumbies.

That will leave the calling in the hands of Sam Jeffries, who no doubt will welcome the chance to audition for a role that could become permanent once Jones heads offshore at the end of the season.