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Former England lock Parling joins Rebels for 2018

Former England lock Geoff Parling

Former England lock Geoff Parling has signed with Melbourne Rebels for the 2018 Super Rugby season.

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Fresh from helping Exeter Chiefs win the 2016-17 Premiership, 32-Test veteran Parling joins Rebels despite uncertainty over the team’s future.

Along with Western Force in Australia, Rebels are facing the axe from Super Rugby as the competition returns to a 15-team format from next season.

The signing of Parling is the first since the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) lifted the moratorium on player contracting late last month.

“After some really enjoyable years in the Premiership, I’m excited about the opportunity to test myself in the Southern Hemisphere that Super Rugby brings,” Parling said.

“Hopefully I can add value to the Rebels, and help the team continue the great growth and profile of rugby in Victoria.”

Parling, who will join Rebels in January, last played for England at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, while he was also part of the British and Irish Lions squad to tour Australia four years ago.

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Rebels chief executive Baden Stephenson welcomed the experience Parling brings.

“Geoff’s signing is a strategic recruitment for the club as we look to evolve our squad and program for 2018 and beyond,” he said.

“Geoff boasts a wealth of international and domestic experience in successful rugby programs so he will contribute to the strong leadership at the club, along with his world class line-out skills and hard running qualities which will complement our squad.”

With uncertainty over their future, Rebels have endured a miserable 2017 season, winning just one of 12 matches.

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Nickers 30 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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