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Thread: Luke Jones to return to Melbourne in 2019, in Wallabies mix for Spring Tour

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    Luke Jones to return to Melbourne in 2019, in Wallabies mix for Spring Tour

    Today at 10:51 AM
    by Beth Newman


    Former Rebels lock Luke Jones is set to return to Melbourne in 2019 and could play for the Wallabies again by the end of the year.

    French media are reporting the 27-year-old has secured a release from his contract with French club Bordeaux that will see him back in Australia for the start of the Super Rugby season next year.

    Jones has been playing with Bordeaux since the end of 2016 and had re-signed with the team through to the end of 2020, but has decided to return home and have a crack at making the 2019 Rugby World Cup squad.

    But, like Matt Toomua, the moment Jones signs a new deal with the Rebels he becomes immediately eligible for the Wallabies.

    While it is unlikely he will be called on during the Rugby Championship, a return to the Wallabies ranks on the Spring Tour is very much on the cards.

    Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is believed to have been involved in talks for Jones to return to Australian rugby.

    The versatile lock/backrower played six seasons with the Rebels and one with the Force before moving to France, racking up 74 Super Rugby matches and three Wallabies Tests in that time.

    He was overlooked by Cheika for the 2015 Rugby World Cup but had been open about his desire to push for a World Cup berth if the opportunity came up.

    Jones had hinted at a move back to Australia when he was back in Sydney last year, playing for the Alan Jones' Barbarians against the Wallabies.

    “I was put under some serious pressure to stay (in Bordeaux) because they’re happy with my playing and I’m enjoying my time there," he said at the time.

    "They were pretty keen to wrap it up pretty quickly.

    “If Australia came knocking, I think Bordeaux would understand if I wanted to go back.”

    Cheika also said at the time that he would welcome Jones back into Super Rugby with open arms.

    “We never wanted him to leave initially,” he said.

    “I was surprised that Bordeaux would be releasing him to come back to play in this game.

    “It'd be good to see him back here and I'd love to see him back here playing Super Rugby.”

    Bordeaux president Laurent Marti wouldn't officially confirm the news in France but did air his frustrations about Australians leaving their contracts early or asking for releases.

    Sekope Kepu left his Bordeaux deal after less than one season into a three-year deal back in 2016 and Adam Ashley-Cooper was in a tug of war with the French team during that 2016 Rugby Championship as well after Bordeaux was forced to release him for Test matches.

    The Rebels have been contacted for comment.

    http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/09...-jones-returns

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    Veteran Sheikh's Avatar
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    He's not really a lock, though. He's shorter and lighter than RHP, so you've got to be thinking he'll be a 6 for either the Rebels or Wallabies. He'll have to fill the Fardy-shaped hole which is exposed when then the Wallabies play Hooper & Pocock at 7 & 8.

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    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sheikh View Post
    He's not really a lock, though. He's shorter and lighter than RHP, so you've got to be thinking he'll be a 6 for either the Rebels or Wallabies. He'll have to fill the Fardy-shaped hole which is exposed when then the Wallabies play Hooper & Pocock at 7 & 8.
    Is this a veiled reference to the Pocock-shaped hole that is playing at openside?

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    Legend Contributor Alison's Avatar
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    Anyone else think the salary cap won’t be applied this year either? FFS

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    Heard on the radio this week that the Vic Government is going all out to make Melbun the basketball capital of Australia, with millions of taxpayer dollars being ploughed into the sport there. They mustn’t have a Clyne or a North to enable them to get someone else to pay for them to get to the top.

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    Do we have to wait for the annual report to see if Bordeaux are going to be compensated? They weren't happy when the RA changed the eligibility criteria after signing AAC. That's why his contract wasn't renewed.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    Anyone else think the salary cap won’t be applied this year either? FFS
    Payouts to French clubs to release unknown quantities from long term contracts aren't counted against the Salary cap Ali

    Waratahs have been doing that for years.

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    Legend Contributor Alison's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GIGS20 View Post
    Payouts to French clubs to release unknown quantities from long term contracts aren't counted against the Salary cap Ali

    Waratahs have been doing that for years.
    Yeah but the salary that’s paid once they arrive back in Melbourne will be won’t it? The Rebels squad must be at about 55 by now.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    Yeah but the salary that’s paid once they arrive back in Melbourne will be won’t it? The Rebels squad must be at about 55 by now.
    They have lost an entire back-row: Timani to La Rochelle, Fainga'a to Connaught and Mafi has returned to Japan. Although they have also signed Toomua, Naisirani, Erasmus and now seemingly Jones.

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    Who F#$King Cares! World Series Rugby is where its at. Although I am starting to wonder how long before Ross realises that he's going nowhere over there and decides to come back home for more exposure.

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    Quote Originally Posted by boof1050 View Post
    Who F#$King Cares! World Series Rugby is where its at. Although I am starting to wonder how long before Ross realises that he's going nowhere over there and decides to come back home for more exposure.
    Isn't Ross with Toshiba Brave Lupus now?

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    Quote Originally Posted by wholetruth View Post
    Isn't Ross with Toshiba Brave Lupus now?
    Yep.

    The days of putting locks at blindside are over. Not enough pace and most aren't ball carriers either. Pieter-Steph du Toit and Lukhan Tui have both been shown up recently there.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    Yeah but the salary that’s paid once they arrive back in Melbourne will be won’t it? The Rebels squad must be at about 55 by now.
    Hi @SubbiesBattler,

    Further to your tweet attaching a screenshot of my above post, I’m just trying to correct the record on the size of the Rebels squad and was wondering if you could help me.

    The website for the Melbourne Rebels has 49 player profiles on its “Players” page. Seven of the profiles are greyed out so I assume they’ve left the squad over the season. If you add in Luke Jones, that makes 43 players in the Rebels’ squad for 2018. https://melbournerebels.com/team/players/


    That is three less than the 46 players listed on The Roar website at the beginning of the season (compared to 39 Brumbies, 34 Reds, 38 Waratahs) https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-uni...r-rugby-teams/

    The Collective Bargaining Agreement between RUPA and RA effective for the period 2018 to 2020 caps the number of players per SuperRugby franchise at 40. http://www.rugbyaustralia.com.au/Med...AGREEMENT.aspx

    Could you help me join the dots Mr Subbies Battler? Did the Rebels get special dispensation from the ARU to carry more than 40 players in their squad for the 2018 season? What is the picture looking like for 2019 and 2020?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    Hi @SubbiesBattler,

    Further to your tweet attaching a screenshot of my above post, I’m just trying to correct the record on the size of the Rebels squad and was wondering if you could help me.

    The website for the Melbourne Rebels has 49 player profiles on its “Players” page. Seven of the profiles are greyed out so I assume they’ve left the squad over the season. If you add in Luke Jones, that makes 43 players in the Rebels’ squad for 2018. https://melbournerebels.com/team/players/


    That is three less than the 46 players listed on The Roar website at the beginning of the season (compared to 39 Brumbies, 34 Reds, 38 Waratahs) https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-uni...r-rugby-teams/

    The Collective Bargaining Agreement between RUPA and RA effective for the period 2018 to 2020 caps the number of players per SuperRugby franchise at 40. http://www.rugbyaustralia.com.au/Med...AGREEMENT.aspx

    Could you help me join the dots Mr Subbies Battler? Did the Rebels get special dispensation from the ARU to carry more than 40 players in their squad for the 2018 season? What is the picture looking like for 2019 and 2020?
    Is this post addressed to someone on here or over on Twitter?

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    Both.

    Someone who reads this site chose to take a screenshot of my post and put it on Twitter with a comment that I was spreading hate and lies and being unprofessional. Don’t know the pseudonym they use on here (assuming they are registered at all) but the one they use on Twitter is @SubbiesBattler.

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