Super Rugby
Rebels drop Jason Woodward 'based on form'
July 4, 2014
Jason Woodward is out of form, Tony McGahan says © Getty Images
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Melbourne Rebels coach Tony McGahan says he's dropped the club's top points-scorer, Jason Woodward, for the Super Rugby match against the Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Friday due to his lack of form - and not because he's leaving the club at season's end.

Woodward has been a standout for the Rebels this season, but he is returning to New Zealand to play for the Hurricanes in 2015 and now he has been dropped to the bench. He has also been released from his National Rugby Championship contract with Melbourne Rising in order to play for wellington Lions in the ITM Cup in New Zealand.

Woodward has been replaced on the wing by Tom Kingston, while young fullback Jack Debreczeni and fly-half Bryce Hegarty will share the goal-kicking duties at Ellis Park Stadium.

McGahan made it clear on Thursday that he was holding players to account after the thumping by Queensland Reds.

"It's based on form, really," McGahan said of his decision to bench Woodward, who has scored 210 Super Rugby points.

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"Jason's form over the past few weeks probably hasn't been where he can deliver. The staff have been evaluating. Jason has been spoken to. It wasn't a big decision from our end."

McGahan added that Debreczeni would have been given more game time this season had he not sustained two lower leg injuries throughout year.

"It's a very difficult situation to come into Super Rugby," McGahan said. "We need to be patient. We said to (Debreczeni) when he came in that he wouldn't have the selection axe hanging over him. And certainly Tom Kingston and Tom English have been doing the job on the wings."

Cadeyrn Neville and Pat Leafa have also been benched, replaced respectively by Hugh Pyle and Shota Horie. Scott Fuglistaller has also been named to start in place of Sean McMahon, who is away with the Commonwealth Games Sevens squad.

Rebels: Jack Debreczeni; Tom Kingston, Tamati Ellison, Mitch Inman, Tom English; Bryce Hegarty, Luke Burgess; Scott Higginbotham (captain), Scott Fuglistaller, Colby Fainga'a; Luke Jones, Hugh Pyle; Laurie Weeks, Shota Horie, Toby Smith. Replacements: Pat Leafa, Cruze Ah-Nau, Paul Alo-Emile, Cadeyrn Neville, Jordy Reid, Nic Stirzaker, Jason Woodward, Telusa Veainu.

© AAP

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