Geoff Parling set to make his first start for Melbourne Rebels
Geoff Parling joined Melbourne Rebels ahead of 2018 season
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England international Geoff Parling is all set to make his first start for Melbourne Rebels after he was named in the XV for the upcoming Super Rugby encounter against Sharks to be played at AAMI Park on Friday.
The 33-year-old was a part of the 2016/17 Aviva Premiership season winning Exeter Chiefs side and had a short-term contract with Japanese club Munakata Sanix Blues before arriving in Australia and will make his first start for Rebels along with flanker Colby Fainga’a and centre Billy Meakes.
With Dane Haylett-Petty and Ben Daley failing the concussion protocols, Sefa Naivalu and Marika Koroibete will start at the wings while Jack Maddocks has been shifted to fullback.
Meakes, who replaced Haylett-Petty after the latter suffered a head injury in the 15th minute impressed on Sunday's game. Parling will be making his first start in his second appearance after his Super Rugby debut against Sunwolves was marred with a head injury.
Hodge, who has 208 points needs seven more to go past Jason Woodward as the club's leading point-scorer. Also, another try for Tom English or Hodge will see them set a new club record of leading try-scorer.
“We’ve played some really good rugby this year and I think we’re happy with where the team is at. Our job is to go out there and focus on our equivalent of running a 9.9 sec 100m race," said head coach Dave Wessels.
If a team comes along and runs a 9.8 sec then they deserve to win. But our focus is on producing our best performance consistently. We didn’t do that on Sunday, but Friday gives us the opportunity to put that right."
Rebels are currently at the top of the Australian Conference with three wins from four games.
Rebels squad:
1. Tetera Faulkner, 2. Anaru Rangi, 3. Jermaine Ainsley, 4. Geoff Parling, 5. Adam Coleman (c), 6. Angus Cottrell, 7. Colby Fainga’a, 8. Amanaki Mafi, 9. Will Genia, 10. Jack Debreczeni, 11. Marika Koroibete, 12. Billy Meakes, 13. Reece Hodge. 14. Sefa Naivalu, 15. Jack Maddocks
Replacements: 16. Mahe Vailanu, 17. Fereti Sa’aga, 18. Sam Talakai, 19. Matt Philip. 20. Ross Haylett-Petty, 21. Richard Hardwick, 22. Michael Ruru., 23. Tom English
