Beale relishing fly half role

Updated May 08, 2012 16:35:13

It is no coincidence the Melbourne Rebels took a huge step forward in Super Rugby on the same night Kurtley Beale was switched to five-eighth.

The regular Test full-back moved to the number 10 role last week against the Bulls following the departure of English import Danny Cipriani.

While the Rebels lost 41-35 at AAMI Park, the home side took a giant stride forward, according to half-back Nick Phipps.

Phipps says he's loving his new combination with Beale.

"It was definitely a step up for everyone involved," Phipps said on Tuesday.

"Now the challenge is that being our benchmark and us having to build on that every week."

Phipps says he's really enjoying himself after feeling his way at the club in 2011.

"Last year I was definitely going along with the flow and listening a lot," said Phipps, 23.

"Now I feel like I have a little bit more confidence, especially with Kurtley and `Delvey' (skipper Gareth Delve).

"Kurtley is really good at just letting the forwards and the nine (half-back) takeover until he wants to be able to use it.

"He's talking to me really well. Danny liked to take over a lot more which was good in a sense.

"But I think this time with Kurtley there he can concentrate on the backs and I can concentrate on the forwards and we can work the boys around the park.

"The holes are opening up for us because we are working so well together."

The Rebels host the Crusaders on Saturday night and it is another opportunity for Beale and Phipps, who made his Test debut last year, to push their selection claims.

Phipps said he had no doubt Beale could make a success of the move to Test five-eighth.

"Just seeing from the weekend that was his first game at 10 in three or four years," Phipps said.

"Give him another couples of goes - he'll become more natural and a lot more relaxed.

"He's just able to direct the play a lot more. He's lot more explosive around the defenders and he's always challenging where ever he can.

"It's really exciting for us. It's good that the boys are starting to know him and starting to work off him a bit more."

Phipps is a contender for the back-up half-back role for the Test side but says winning selection will be tough.

AAP

Tags: super-rugby, sport, rugby-union, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted May 08, 2012 14:48:08

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Robinson relishing Reds showdown

Updated February 24, 2012 18:50:40

Waratahs vice-captain Benn Robinson believes facing Queensland is a level above any other Super Rugby assignment, but he is just relieved his pre-match nerves are limited to the big occasion.

After a horror year with injury in 2011, which saw him miss Australia's World Cup campaign, Robinson declared he is 100 per cent fit heading into Saturday night's season opener at Sydney's Olympic stadium.

The prop emerged unscathed from his return match, a trial against Tonga last week, and says his knee will not be on his mind when he packs down against fierce rivals the Reds.

The 27-year-old is determined to make up for lost time and he sees squaring-off against the defending premiers as the perfect place to start.

"These are the games you cherish playing, these are the games you're going to remember for the rest of your life," Robinson said.

"It makes it extra special, you know the blokes you pack down with at national level ... and it might give you an advantage or it might give you a slight disadvantage."

Robinson will back debut skipper Daniel Halangahu in the leadership department on Saturday night and says he had taken it upon himself as vice-captain to be a pillar of strength against Queensland's physical and star-studded pack.

Against Tonga, Robinson got through his work nicely and says agony over his ACL tear is well and truly behind him.

"They (staff) definitely put you through your paces to make sure there's no hesitation there," he said.

"They take you past what you think you should be doing ... that first tackle or run is always going to (produce) a few nerves, but that's not with the knee just the big game ahead."

Robinson's opposing number one, Ben Daley, spilled blood in one of the derby matches last year and is again ready to go to war against New South Wales.

One of the lasting images of the 2011 season was Daley having his nose flattened across his face in the Reds' gutsy win at Lang Park in round 10.

But while that was triumphant pain, he also remembers the hiding his team copped from the Waratahs in round two of last year, emphasising how dangerous New South Wales can be when it dominates in the middle.

"You don't want to go off in these games. No matter what injury you have you want to stay out there," Daley said.

On paper, the Waratahs look undermanned compared to the starting XV they would have been hoping to use.

They are missing backline stars Berrick Barnes, Lachie Turner and Drew Mitchell and are without forwards Dan Vickerman and Rocky Elsom, but Robinson said the confidence of the team would not be curbed.

"The players who have come in have been around the squad for a long time now and sometimes it's a good thing," said Robinson, who does not expect the Reds to change their title-winning style too much despite Mike Harris replacing the injured Quade Cooper at number 10.

"The Queenslanders might not have seen them before and it might be a new challenge for them."

AAP

Tags: rugby-union, sport, super-rugby, sydney-2000

First posted February 24, 2012 18:50:40

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Elsom relishing Tahs captaincy

Updated February 01, 2012 07:14:05

Rocky Elsom claims he has no lingering resentment over his dumping as Australia captain and believes leading Wallabies has left him better equipped for his new role as skipper of New South Wales.

Elsom was officially appointed to the role on Tuesday and will spearhead a large leadership group as the Waratahs carry high hopes into the 2012 Super Rugby season.

Benn Robinson, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Dan Vickerman, Berrick Barnes, Tom Carter, Rob Horne and Drew Mitchell were appointed deputies with Elsom the unanimous choice to lead the club he last played for in 2008, prior to two seasons with the Brumbies.

The 71-Test veteran led the Wallabies for three years before he was sensationally replaced by James Horwill just three weeks out from the World Cup.

But the 28 year-old blindside flanker would not be drawn on suggestions his new appointment would help temper his disappointment from losing the Wallabies arm band.

"My disappointment with the Wallabies was because we wanted to win the World Cup and we didn't win it, that's where my disappointment is," Elsom said.

"Everything in between is a lesser detail and I think these are two very separate issues."

Elsom, though, hoped he could take the lessons learned from the Wallabies job into his new gig.

"I think you always learn, having that kind of experience changes your perspective on some things and hopefully for the better," he said.

Elsom's participation in the opening rounds of the Super Rugby season, starting February 24, remains in heavy doubt due to a troublesome hamstring injury but Waratahs coach Michael Foley is hopeful he will be back on the park by week five.

Elsom would not be drawn on the progress of his recovery but is optimistic about the Waratahs' prospects in 2012.

The Waratahs are favourites to take out the Australian conference, ahead of reigning champion Queensland, and Elsom sees plenty of potential from a distance last season as the Waratahs fell to the Blues in the finals.

"There's high expectations and that's fine," he said.

"I do think last year they did especially well.

"If you look at the way they finished the season and the team they took over to Auckland, they gave that game a reasonable shake. I wouldn't be too down on how they went."

Elsom says his priority as captain will be "getting everyone aligned."

"The main thing is to get everyone on the same page because it doesn't matter how bad the plan is, as long as everybody's doing it, we'll be OK," he said.

AAP

Tags: super-14, rugby-union, sport, sydney-2000

First posted January 31, 2012 13:29:36

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