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Vikings v Rebels, preview
August 09, 2007 - 8:05am
Story by: Sportal
Venue & time
Manuka Oval, Canberra, Saturday August 11, 2.30pm (AEST).
Head to head
Debut starts
Walking wounded
Vikings skipper Alister Campbell endured a horrific year in the Super 14 due to injury but his comeback at the end of the season for the Brumbies plus his selection as captain of Australia A gave the talented lock/flanker the chance to get back up to match fitness.
Form
The Vikings, with a stack of key players rested, lost a trail game last week against the Rams 28-10 but the fact that they had a chance to play 80 minutes as a team will hold them in great stead for this Saturday's clash.
The Rebels have had a limited preparation with a number of players involved in the final of the Shute Shield between Sydney Uni and Easts. However, the students combination of Dan Kelly at flyhalf, Jack Farrer at inside centre, Nathan Trist at fullback and Peter Playford on the wing will give the Rebels plenty of fluidity.
Who's hot
Wallabies lock Mark Chisholm was the form Australian lock throughout the Super 14 and continued that form into this season's Test arena. He hasn't played in over a month, however, and it is his last run on the rugby field before leaving for the World Cup campaign in France. Injuries to Wallabies David Lyons and Cliffy Palu have given barnstorming No.8 Jone Tawake a slight hope of making the World Cup squad so he will be out to impress.
Rebels winger Digby Ioane shone when given his Test opportunity for the Wallabies against Wales earlier this season and must have gone within a whisker of being included in John Connolly's squad to France. He is on the cusp of bigger things and will be looking to use the Mazda ARC to prove he is a superstar of the future. Veteran lock Matt Cockbain has been in such vintage form that Connolly included him in the Wallabies stand-by squad even though he hasn't played Test rugby for four years. With a World Cup carrot dangling expect a big game from the big man. Rebels skipper David Croft always gives 110 per cent so there is no doubt he will be leading from the front.
Teams
Canberra Vikings
1. Nic Henderson,
2. Saia Faingaa,
3. John Ulugia,
4. Alister Campbell (capt),
5. Adam Wallace-Harrison,
6. Mark Chisholm,
7. Julian Salvi,
8. Jone Tawake,
9. Nick Haydon,
10. Christian Lealiifano,
11. Francis Fainifo,
12. Gene Fairbanks,
13. Matt Carraro,
14. Eddie McLaughlin,
15. Tim Wright.
16. Anthony Hegarty,
17. Dan Raymond,
18. Peter Kimlin,
19. Jack Vanderglas,
20. Anthony Faingaa,
21. Rowan Kellam,
22. Tim Cornforth.
Melbourne Rebels
1. Scott Cameron,
2. Nick Churven,
3. Heamani Lavaka,
4. Matt Cockbain,
5. Richard Stanford,
6. David Dennis,
7. David Croft (Captain),
8. Dave Haigh,
9. Luke Burgess (Vice-Captain),
10. Dan Kelly,
11. Digby Ioane,
12. Jack Farrer,
13. James Lew,
14. Peter Playford (Vice-Captain),
15. Nathan Trist.
16. Mike Ross,
17. James Hanson,
18. Liam Shaw,
19. Filipe Manu,
20. Jon McGrath,
21. Michael Hobbs,
22. Damon Murphy.