RUGBY.com.au: One percenters

Sun, Apr 16, 2017, 8:00 AM
Sam Phillips and Beth Newman
by Sam Phillips and Beth Newman
The Rebels fans turned out for their team on Saturday night. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley
The Rebels fans turned out for their team on Saturday night. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley

What did you miss in this week of rugby? We've got you covered in this week's One Percenters.

Rebels fans show voice

It wasn't exactly a packed house but the Rebels fans that turned out at AAMI Park on Saturday night were vocal and passionate about the future of their team.

There were plenty of signs protesting any possibility the team might be axed and fans and players stuck around long after full-time to savour a crucial win.

While the decision is all but out of the hands of the 23 men on the field last night and their supporters, both did their best to be the agitators.

Smith's biggest fan

George Smith is happy to be in Brisbane. Photo: QRU/Brendan Hertel"I used to have your poster on my wall," is something George Smith probably hears a lot when fans approach him.

You'd be hard-pressed, though, to find another player who can induce that kind of response from an opponent mid-game, as Smith did in his 150th game on Saturday.

Kings reserve lock Irne Herbst traded some bumps with Smith and as he went to help him up, he admitted he was one of Smith's biggest fans, blurting out that his walls had once been adorned with pictures of the Wallabies great.

New Zealand key in trans-Tasman competition

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika was asked his thoughts on a trans-Tasman competition potentially being on the table at the next broadcast deal in 2021 and while he was quick to say he'd be sipping cocktails on the beach by then, far away from rugby's politics, he was frank about the possibilities.

"I was listening to Cameron (ARU chairman Cameron Clyne) and he said there was no appetite for it, which obviously means that New Zealand doesn't think we're good enough quality to play just us against them.

"So, that's not on the table, it would either only be Super Rugby as is or a standalone."

Taylor on fire

Australia's Sevens went undefeated on the opening day of the Singapore Sevens, but the highlight of the day was surely this ripper try from Charlie Taylor.

More of that please.

 

Australia's Charlie Taylor goes in for a belter of a try in Singapore #SGRugby7s #Singapore7s

A post shared by World Rugby (@worldrugby) on

Good Friday fish market

We're no fishing experts, but Luke Morahan put his extended break to good use on the Easter weekend, bringing in this decent-sized creature on Good Friday.

There would have been no shortage of fish on the table at his place on Friday night, that's for sure.

 

Gooooooood Friday.

A post shared by Luke Morahan (@lmorahan) on

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