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'We'll attack him' - Rebels set for fiery reunion with Amanaki Mafi

By Online Editors
Amanaki Mafi. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images for Sunwolves)

Melbourne Rebels lock Matt Philip says stopping Amanaki Mafi is the key to beating the Sunwolves and has put his hand up for the massive Super Rugby challenge.

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The Rebels take on the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday in a must-win match with just four rounds left to seal a finals berth.

Mafi played two seasons with the Rebels and was crowned Australian Super Rugby player of the year before leaving in disgrace after allegedly assaulting teammate Lopeti Timani in a drunken post-match incident.

During his time, his barnstorming carries made the backrower a crowd favourite in Melbourne and Philip said that was something the Rebels needed to shut down.

“I think Mafi can be a big source of energy for a team,” Philip said.

“He’s obviously a really good ball carrier, so he’s probably someone I’ll single out for myself to make sure that every time he gets the ball, to focus on hitting him early and probably stamp him out of the game pretty early as well.

“If we can stop Mafi, I think that could be a bit of an entry point to getting into their game and stopping that go-forward he brings.”

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Despite the circumstances of Mafi’s departure Philip said there was no ill will from the Rebels toward the Japanese international.

Timani has also since left the club.

“We’ll attack him just because he’s a good rugby player, not for anything else,” Philip said.

“He’s still got a lot of friends here in this group – he was a good guy for the most time he was here, he just made one mistake and we can’t hold everything against him for that one mistake.”

Hopeful of adding to his three Test caps ahead of World Cup selection Philip 25-year-old wants to bring more aggression to his game.

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He said he always enjoyed watching the likes of hard nut South African lock Bakkies Botha.

“It’s just something that if I was looking at my career, that’s something I would like to see my identity as,” Philip said.

The Rebels currently trail the conference-leading Brumbies by a point so victory over the Sunwolves, who have just two wins for the season, is crucial.

“We’ve acknowledged the situation we’re in now, the Brumbies are one point ahead of us, so every game counts.

“We’ve set our goal as a team – we want to make finals and I think we would be disappointed as a group if we don’t make finals – and I’ll definitely be disappointed.”

AAP

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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