Super Rugby
Conrad Smith praises maturing Rebels
May 8, 2014

Melbourne Rebels have come of age this year and it's nothing to do with their growing Kiwi connection, Hurricanes captain Conrad Smith says.

The 11th-placed Rebels have become accustomed to the rigours of Super Rugby, Smith believes, and they provide a genuine threat to the seventh-placed Hurricanes' title charge when the teams meet in Melbourne on Friday.

Smith says the competition's youngest side have understandably taken time to find their feet since being introduced in 2011. Heavy defeats dotted their campaigns in finishing 15th, 13th and 12th, but such losses are becoming rarer and they are toppling established teams more frequently.

Smith is in regular contact with former Wellington Lions ITM Cup team-mates Jason Woodward and Scott Fuglistaller, who have forged prominent careers at the Rebels, and "they say they've just slowly got a lot better and their training ethic has improved".

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"It shows on the field," Smith said.

"They start producing results and they don't need to recruit star players any more. They can actually take grass-roots players and get them in that professional environment."

Woodward and Fuglistaller were joined this season by three more proven New Zealand Super Rugby players - prop Toby Smith, centre Tamati Ellison and wing Telusa Veainu - but Conrad Smith says the Kiwi factor is less important than the maturity of a team that is clearly tight and well coached.

New Zealanders Jason Woodward and Tamati Ellison are key players for Melbourne Rebels © Getty Images
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