Rebels sharpen Super attack for Kings

Apr 28, 2017 - 5:31 PM While happy to keep their opponents tryless last round, the Melbourne Rebels were frustrated by their own inability to cross the white line and have made attack a focus ahead of their Super Rugby match against the Kings on Sunday.

The Rebels held the Sharks to a 9-9 draw, with all points coming from penalties, but know that's unlikely to be repeated in Port Elizabeth against the Kings, who love to throw the ball around.

Melbourne flanker Colby Fainga'a missed the Sharks game due to the birth of his daughter Georgia, but said the team had this week turned in some of their best training sessions of season as they chase an elusive first win in South Africa.

"Obviously a game where no tries were scored was good for our defence but asks questions of our attack so we've been working on that a bit," Fainga'a said.

"We've struggled to keep the ball for more than three or four phases just due to poor handling skills or a poor pass."

The Rebels have handed Fiji international Ben Volavola his first start at five-eighth and Fainga'a said he brought x-factor to the line-up.

"He's a really classy player and in the World Cup he led the Fijian team really well," Fainga'a said.

"With ball in hand it's hard to predict what he's going to do which is something I really like about him.

"You don't know whether he's going to pass, do a quick step - he's really unpredictable."

The Kings are tipped to be one of the South African clubs to be axed from Super Rugby after this season and sit at the bottom of the Africa 2 conference.

But Fainga'a said they would have their tails up after upsetting the Waratahs in Sydney last round and they wouldn't take them lightly.

"The Kings have been playing some really good footy and their attack's been unreal," he said.

"They've been throwing the ball around and they've got some really sharp backs and especially their wingers are lethal with the ball in hand and they're coming off the Tahs win which would be a huge confidence boost.

"At the moment they probably feel they're as much in the game as we are."

Source: AAP