Horwitz revels in being a Rebel
Having a new Super Rugby club, a new coach, a new city to call home and new teammates has certainly made preparing for the upcoming season a whole new experience for Jewish rugby star David Horwitz.
HAVING a new Super Rugby club, a new coach, a new city to call home and new teammates has certainly made preparing for the upcoming season a whole new experience for Jewish rugby star David Horwitz.
The 23-year-old Sydney native, who played 27 matches for the NSW Waratahs before signing a one-year contract with the Melbourne Rebels in September, told The AJN he feels settled in and excited about the challenges ahead, including the Rebels’ opening round clash against the Queensland Reds at ‘The Stockade’ (AAMI Park) on Friday night.
“This offseason has been very different, but it’s really good to be in a new environment, and maybe the transition has been a bit easier because the club has a new coach [Dave Wessels] and a lot of the playing group have come here from different teams last season, so everyone’s kind of in the same situation and want to rip right into the job,” Horwitz said.
“And it was really nice to captain the Rebels team at the recent Global Rugby Tens tournament in Brisbane.
“Although we sent a less experienced side up there and that tournament wasn’t such a great success for us, it was a massive honour to lead that group and and something I’ll remember for a while.”
The Rebels have been on a massive recruitment drive and have signed a dozen players from the axed Western Force franchise in a bid to qualify for their first finals series.
But while they now boast one of the Australian Conference’s strongest squads on paper – featuring nine current Wallabies including 88-Test veteran Will Genia, Adam Coleman, Marika Koroibete, Tetera Faulkner and Reece Hodge – the playing group has only had two months at best to gel as a team, and they lost their two trial games against the Brumbies and Waratahs by big margins.
“I think that’s been the biggest challenge, as you can get all the superstars onto the field, but it’s about whether you can bond together off the field and whether you are prepared to fight for the guy next to you on the field.
“I feel we’ve done that really well and that’s probably been the biggest accomplishment of this pre-season.
“With such a strong squad, breaking into the top 23 [for each Super Rugby match] will be a challenge enough, so as long as I’m contributing to the team, I’d be happy to play as inside centre or fly-half, and that includes coming off the bench.
“It’s great having so many Wallabies and internationals in our squad – I’ve always found that you learn more from the players around you and seeing what they would do in situations in the moment.
“The playing and training standards here are world class, and just to be in an environment where you can’t really have an off day, has been really good for my rugby development.”
The Rebels play all four rival Australian Conference teams in their first four rounds in the restructured 15-team competition, and Horwitz is confident his team can get off to a good start against the Reds.
“You have to do well in your own Conference if you want to make the finals, and that starts this Friday night.
“The Reds, with a coach like [former All Black] Brad Thorn, should play like he did – very combative and fit – so it’s going to be a game where both teams will be up for it.
“Willpower kind of counts more at this time of the season than tactical nous, so I’m really excited to be able to play them [QLD] first up and see how we go.”
SHANE DESIATNIK
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