Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has taken a philosophical view of his side’s loss to the Rebels, calling on his players to mark the match as a turning point.

The Brumbies are now 1-2 following losses to the Reds and Rebels, with their solitary win against the Sunwolves hardly an eye catching performance to boot.

But McKellar is long off hitting the panic button, pointing to the 33-10 loss as a match that will provide an opportunity for his side to “grow”.

“While we would like to be three from three, we have been on the road now for a long period of time and we look forward to getting home now and playing in front of our fans and our family,” McKellar said.

“You can look at these moments and be really glum about them or you can think – this is an opportunity for us to learn and to grow.

“We have areas that we have to improve on but its early days, we will get back have a quick review and move onto the Sharks.”

The Rebels ran away with the match when Les Makin was yellow carded in the 63rd minute – scoring three tries during his stint in the bin – and McKellar felt his side had the better of the 60 minutes prior to that.

“It was a decent start,” he said.

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“There were a couple of opportunities there in our maul that we didn’t execute but I thought in the first 20 minutes we certainly showed signs of dominance.

“We lost our way there, a little bit, from 20 to 40 where they got back in the game with a couple of tries.

“And then I thought in the first 20 minutes of the second half we were the dominant side.

“We started to see signs of how we wanted to play.

“Sin bin – three tries during that period – whilst the sin bin was there and they took their opportunities.”McKellar was also a touch displeased with some foul play decisions made by referee Will Houston – particularly an incident in which Dane Haylett-Petty took Andy Muirhead out in the air and avoided a card.

“Our fullback was taken out in the air and lands on his head,” McKellar said.

“I’ve seen that happen in the past and it’s been a red card so just little things like that didn’t go our way.

“I will have a chat to Lyndon about a couple of things there.

“I’m certainly not blaming referees or anything like that.

“You have to give credit to the opposition and Melbourne played well.“They’re in a purple patch at the moment and as we are trying to change a few things at the moment, it’s going to take time.”

McKellar praised the work of his young brigade, who injected some fresh energy into a Brumbies attack that spluttered through the second quarter of the match.

“Our bench, I was really proud of our young players,” he said.

“I thought Folau Faingaa in his debut for the Brumbies and first game of Super Rugby – he was outstanding – as was Faalelei Sione.

“I thought our bench – Andy Muirhead – they added real spark in the 40 to 60 minute period there.”

Sam Carter will have to pass concussion tests if he is to face the Sharks next Saturday but it appears as though ACT will be without Josh Mann-Rea, who has hurt his hamstring.

Bulls prop Pierre Schoeman has been banned for six weeks for biting Melbourne Rebel Richard Hardwick during their 28-10 Super Rugby win in Pretoria.

Schoeman pleaded guilty in a hearing held via video conference on Tuesday.

“Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player and submissions from his legal representative, the Judicial Committee accepted the player’s guilty plea,” said SANZAAR committee chairman Adam Casselden.

Schoeman’s ban rules him out of five Super Rugby matches, as well as a potential international debut for South Africa against Wales in Washington DC on June 2.

Schoeman bit back row Hardwick on the stomach during Saturday’s match.

Although not punished on the field, Schoeman was issued an off-field red card by the competition’s citing commissioner for alleged foul play.

The Rebels said their captain Tom English had alerted the on-field referee to the bite when Schoeman and Hardwick clashed in the 58th minute.

“Melbourne Rebels club captain Tom English at the time of incident appealed to the referee and gestured towards the evidence on Hardwick’s stomach, however the initial penalty call against Hardwick was upheld,” a Rebels spokesman said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

In 2016, Argentina loose forward Leonardo Senatore was suspended for 10 weeks after being found guilty of biting the arm of a Sharks opponent when playing for the Jaguares in a Super Rugby match.

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Schoeman was given a more lenient sentence that took into account mitigating factors including the player’s “early guilty plea, his good character, his good disciplinary record and his remorse,” Casselden said.

Tender ribs have forced the Hurricanes to leave flanker Ardie Savea and centre Matt Proctor out of their Super Rugby match against the Melbourne Rebels.

In more positive injury news, Vaea Fifita is back from a shoulder niggle and will start Friday’s match in Melbourne against the table-topping Rebels.

Coach Chris Boyd confirmed Savea and Proctor had both suffered rib damage in last week’s 29-12 defeat of the Highlanders – a third straight Hurricanes win after they lost their opener to the Bulls.

Counties Manukau openside flanker Sam Henwood will make his Hurricanes debut in place of Savea, having played twice previously for the Chiefs.

Vince Aso comes off the bench to replace centre Proctor, reuniting the brilliant midfield pairing of 2017.

Last year Aso scored 14 Super Rugby tries, a figure only bettered by teammate Ngani Laumape’s competition record-equalling 15.

Fifita comes in for Scotsman Murray Douglas at lock.

Two changes to the backline reserves see Jamie Booth replacing Richard Judd and Wes Goosen take Aso’s berth after recovering from an ankle injury.

The Hurricanes could have their hands full in the first trans-Tasman clash of 2018.

The Rebels have averaged nearly six tries per game in winning four of five matches to top the overall standings.

TEAM

Hurricanes to face Rebels

1. Chris Eves

2. Ricky Riccitelli

3. Ben May

4. Vaea Fifita

5. Sam Lousi

6. Brad Shields

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7. Sam Henwood

8. Gareth Evans 

9. TJ Perenara

10. Beauden Barrett

11. Ben Lam

12. Ngani Laumape

13. Vince Aso

14. Julian Savea

15. Jordie Barrett

Reserves

16. Asafo Aumua

17. Fraser Armstrong

18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen

19. Michael Fatialofa

20. Reed Prinsep

21. Jamie Booth,

22. Ihaia West

23. Wes Goosen.

The Reds were well beaten by the Blues in Jerome Kaino’s farewell.

What did we learn from the 39-16 result?

1. Terrific Tupou on the up

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Taniela Tupou forced three scrum penalties in his 45 minute stint, completely dominating Blues loosehead Alex Hodgman. His scrummaging seemingly improves every week and the longer he performs like this, the more Wallabies coach Michael Cheika must be considering his prospects as a starting tighthead at the next level.

2. Tui in thumping form

Lukhan Tui was a shining light in an otherwise dark night for the Reds. He was the first player whacking the opposition in the opening exchanges and his carries were the only ones making an indent in the Blues defensive line. Looks to have taken plenty of confidence from a brilliant performance in the third and final June Test.

3. Only officiating consistency is inconsistency

Jerome Kaino escaped punishment for two dubious tackles in the first half and Caleb Timu was also lucky to avoid time in the sin bin for a high shot in the second term. Throw these misses in with four yellow cards handed out by referee Egon Seconds and TMO Ben Skeen and you have incompetence turning plenty of fans away 

4. Sorovi, Stewart on the nose

Moses Sorovi and Hamish Stewart looked to be the Reds’ next halves but they were hooked after 45 minutes of ordinary football on Friday. Sorovi made some uncharacteristic mistakes through the first term and Stewart didn’t really have an impression with the limited ball Queensland had in the first term. It’s very rare to see halves pulled that early.

5. Reds failing to move forward

At this point last year (round 17), the Reds had won four games. They have won the same amount 12 months on. They have blooded some new talent but only three of their starting XV tonight – Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Hockings and Jordan Petaia – earned their first cap this year. The majority of their young stars – Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda, Hamish Stewart, Lukhan Tui and Izaia Perese – have been blooded in years prior. The loss to the Blues will have many asking whether they have made any strides at all and looking at results alone, the answer to that question won’t please many Reds fans.

As the first to man to win 100 caps for NSW, Chris Whitaker is on the dais when it comes to the Waratahs’ most-loved sons.

And born with a healthy streak of sky blue in his veins, Whitaker never stopped feeling like a Waratah either. 

After he finished his decade as a NSW player and went to Ireland, the blond halfback would regularly text his successor Phil Waugh and catch up with games and Super Rugby scores.

“I remember being in the Greek Islands for the 2008 final (Waratahs v Crusaders) and I couldn’t find it on TV,” Whitaker said.

“So I ended up reading the updates via a blog on FoxSports. I was refreshing it every ten seconds.”

When the Waratahs finally won a title in 2014, Whitaker had moved into coaching and was now across in France.

NSW players dedicated the win to the men who’d fought all those battles before them, and Whitaker’s name was one of those raised.

But while he was always watching from afar, it was exactly this deep-rooted connection to the Waratahs that kept Whitaker away for so long.

When Michael Cheika – who Whitaker had played under, and coached with, in Ireland and France – took over the Tahs in 2013, he tried unsuccessfully to get Whitaker to come on board as an assistant.

And when Daryl Gibson reached out again earlier this year, still Whitaker paused.

“I was actually reluctant to come back,” Whitaker told RUGBY.com.au.

“I have always had in the back of my mind I don’t want to come back because I was an ex-player or an ex-captain or whatever. 

“I don’t want it to feel like that’s why I have been given the opportunity to come back. That’s why I stayed overseas as long as I could, to learn as much as I could and develop and succeed as much as I could as a coach.

“I am trying to do the coaching thing on own merits. Not because of what I have done before, or where my brother (ARU performance boss Ben Whitaker) works or something. That was always the  big driver for me.”

It’s been twelve years since Whitaker last wore sky blue though, and he ultimately decided to say “yes” to a Waratahs return.

He accepted an assistant coach gig – earned on merit – and last week, an older and wiser Whitaker walked back into NSW headquarters, slipped on the old logo and reported for duty.

He’ll coach the Sydney Rays in the upcoming NRC, serve as an assistant to Gibson next season and likely be considered as a future head coach down the track, along with Simon Cron.

“It’s been 12 years now. It feels a bit surreal. It certainly feels good to be back. A lot of things have changed since I was last here but it’s good to be back,” Whitaker said.

“It was the right time and a good opportunity. Obviously they had a great season (in 2018) and are keen to build on that again. It’s really exciting.”

Whitaker debuted as a Waratahs player in 1997 and finished ten seasons later with 107 caps.

He took over the captaincy from Matt Burke for his last three seasons, played 31 Tests for  Australia and even captained the Wallabies. (Whitaker was in fact picked 84 times, but was stuck behind George Gregan).

Whitaker shifted to Leinster in Ireland in 2006 and played under Cheika – winning the European Cup title in 2009 – and then moved into coaching under the now Wallabies coach in 2010. 

He  moved with Cheika to Paris, to coach at Stade Francais in 2012-13, before moving to the south of France, where he coached at Narbonne and then Montauban.

“I am a bit nervous,” Whitaker said. 

“Obviously I have been in a different system for the last eight years, I have seen how different coaches do things.

“At the moment I am jumping straight back into with the NRC, so its a good way to get back my feet back on the ground and learn what I have missed out on in the last 12 years.”

Exact roles at the Waratahs haven’t been nailed down but Whitaker has filled many roles in Ireland and France, particularly in skills and defence.

He also hopes he can help share his experience in building strong  team culture – which is an essential priority in mixed-nationality French squads.

“I hope so. It is something I have always done anyway,” Whitaker said 

“I am not a ranter and a raver. I am not a screamer. Hopefully I am more a people person than a dictator.

“I think it worked in my benefit over in France. I never got kicked out of a team or sacked. Which is unusual.”

Having once played NSW rugby with the likes of Burke, Lote Tuiqiri, Mat Rogers and Jason Little, Whitaker says he is excited to work with a red-hot Waratahs backline once again.

“We have some massive strike weapons here and this year they managed to get the best out of almost everyone there,” he said.

“When you speak to people up there (in Europe), they love the skill level down here and how quick it is played. They’re quite jealous up there of that. It is mostly set-piece, defensive  footy up there. Some teams play a bit now but you notice the difference when they go to Test level. Coaches say the guys aren’t used to playing at that speed and get blown off the park.”

Taking over the Sydney Rays, who begin their NRC campaign in two weeks, is a great way to get back into the feel of club footy and the Waratahs’ programs.

“There has been some really good rugby played in the NRC and this year we have really streamlined with NSW teams, as far the development and identifcation of talent given there are only  two teams now,” he said.

“Hopefully bringing back the Sydney jumper will also get some tribalism back and get supporters behind it. It is a good opportunity for the guys in Shute Shield to play a level up and play  around some good footy players.”

The Lions have been forced into one change for their semi-final clash against the Waratahs on Saturday night.

Lourens Erasmus will start at openside with Cyle Brink unable to shake off an injury to his right arm in time to be named in the sudden-death clash.

Hacjivah Dayimani will replace Erasmus on the bench in the only switch up to the South African side to take on the Waratahs.

The Waratahs named their team for the semi-final on Thursday night, with Tolu Latu starting over Damien Fitzpatrick.

The Lions host the Waratahs in Johannesburg on Saturday July 28, kicking off 3:05pm local, 11:05pm AEST, LIVE onFOX SPORTS and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO. 

TEAM

IN: Hacjivah Dayimani 

OUT: Cyle Brink

Lions to face the Waratahs

1. Jacques Van Rooyen

2 Malcolm Marx

3. Ruan Dreyer

4. Marvin Orie

5. Franco Mostert

6. Kwagga Smith

7. Lourens Erasmus

8. Warren Whiteley

9. Ross Cronje

10. Elton Jantjies

11. Aphiwe Dyantyi

12. Harold Vorster

13. Lionel Mapoe

14. Ruan Combrinck

15. Andries Coetzee

Reserves

16. Corne Fourie

17. Dylan Smith

18. Johannes Jonker

19. Hacjivah Dayimani

20. Marnus Schoeman

21. Dillon Smit

22. Courtnall Skosan

23. Howard Mnisi

The Reds boss insists a talented forward on the books at Napoli is not a target, but he will be looking to bolster his ranks at the next opportunity

Jurgen Klopp has ruled out a summer raid from Liverpool for Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne.

The Italy international has been linked with a move to the Premier League for some time.

He has enjoyed a productive spell with Napoli since stepping out of their academy system, making 300 appearances and recording 76 goals.

A switch away from Serie A has been hinted at, with Insigne admitting that he could “receive an offer that I can’t refuse” .

Such an approach may be made from England, but Klopp insists no offer will be tabled from Anfield.

The Reds boss has said of links to a 27-year-old frontman: “We will not sign Lorenzo Insigne.

“He is a very good player but he has a long-term contract at Napoli. We will not even try it.”

Insigne is tied to terms with Napoli through to 2022.

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While Klopp is not looking to break that agreement, he admits that recruitment plans are being pieced together at Liverpool.

The Reds have spent big in recent windows, bringing in the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson and Naby Keita.

There will be no more elaborate forays into a congested market , but movement is to be expected on Merseyside as a side still chasing down Premier League and Champions League crowns this season seeks to further bolster its ranks.

Klopp has said of a transfer policy that he is keeping close to his chest: “We will try to improve the team always. We will try it always in training, I think that is the best way to do it.

“The team is pretty well balanced. Our plans are not for the public, that’s how it is.

“Will it be the biggest transfer window of Liverpool? No, but you’d have been surprised if I said yes.

“Our eyes are always open. We always look. What happens if and when but nothing to say in the moment.”

Liverpool are already being linked to a number of players ahead of summer.

Insigne will not be among those targeted by the Reds, but several other deals are said to be being lined up by Klopp as he seeks to make his side even more competitive.

The 22-year-old promise has thrived in his favoured position further up the field and proved to PSG they were wrong to cut him loose

Argentina’s search for a top-quality midfielder who can both provide and score goals has been long and fruitless since the likes of Juan Roman Riquelme, Esteban Cambiasso and Pablo Aimar ended their international careers.

But hope has been renewed now in the shape of Giovani Lo Celso, the swashbuckling Betis star who has taken La Liga by storm in 2018-19. 

Still just 23, expectations are huge for the Rosario native, who now has the chance to succeed where stars such as Javier Pastore, Erik Lamela and Manuel Lanzini have fallen short and offer a real option as the link between the Albiceleste’s midfield and attack. 

The current season started with less than positive news for Lo Celso.

Despite a decent campaign in 2017-18, the Argentine found himself surplus to requirements under new boss Thomas Tuchel, who shipped him out on loan to Betis in a deal that included a purchase option worth €22 million (£19m/$25m). 

Other, less resilient players might have lost heart after such a setback, but the midfielder took it firmly in his stride.

He has hit back with a fantastic return with the Seville side, who despite lacking consistency over the course of the year have played some scintillating football under Quique Setien and perhaps deserve more than their current ninth place standing. 

Lo Celso has been at the heart of everything positive about Betis’ season. With nine and five goals respectively he is the club’s top scorer in both La Liga and the Europa League, with a further two strikes in the Copa del Rey bringing him up to an extremely impressive 16 for the term.

Indeed, on a league-wide level, only three players have scored more from midfield than the former PSG man. With a little more assistance from Betis’ misfiring strike-force the club could easily be looking at least a Europa League finish, but optimism is nevertheless high around the Benito Villamarin thanks to a young, hungry squad. 

Having been rewarded for his form with a permanent move last week, Lo Celso is ideally placed to lead the charge and make sure the coming season is even better for Betis.

“[Betis] are in a situation that isn’t ideal at the moment, but we will fight until the end,” the youngster signalled at his presentation.

“We know what the club represent, what they aspire to and the goals that we set ourselves at the beginning of the season.

“Luckily this year I scored a lot, but the most important thing is trying to help the team.”

Setien’s tactical tinkering and ever-offensive outlook has been key in getting the best out of his young charge. As a prospect at Rosario Central, Lo Celso excelled in a role just behind solitary striker Marco Ruben, but upon arriving in Europe he saw his position become even more withdrawn.

At Betis, though, he has been restored to his favoured advanced spot and the results have been spectacular. Indeed, given the travails of fellow Argentina man Leandro Paredes in settling in to life at PSG the new Ligue 1 champions may well be regretting their decision to let Lo Celso go for a comparatively cut-price fee.

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The question will be how long they can hope to hold on to his abilities.

European football now looks unlikely for Betis after a series of damaging defeats, and while the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid are yet to make any formal approach for the Argentine if they do wield their mighty chequebooks a sizeable offer would be extremely difficult to turn down.

Back in his native Argentina, those in charge of the national team would do well to pay attention. In his Albiceleste appearances to date the player has tended to fulfil one half of a double pivot function alongside Paredes, with mixed results so far as Lionel Scaloni looks to revamp a new-look side.

If Scaloni can make room for Lo Celso further up the pitch, perhaps forming a potent creative axis with Messi, he can help provide the spark that has been so sorely lacking in Argentina over the past few years.

If this past season at Betis has proved anything it is that the playmaker has talent to spare and the drive to make his presence felt in the final third.

The Seville outfit may have struggled to turn fluid football into goals and wins but Lo Celso has come through this test with flying colours, to the extent that he is a serious candidate to be dubbed La Liga’s finest midfielder for 2018-19.

The Brazilian forward is being linked with a summer move away from Camp Nou despite having spent just one season on the Blaugrana’s books

The agent of Barcelona forward Malcom has sought to distance his client from reports suggesting that a summer switch to AC Milan could be on the cards.

The Brazilian only joined the ranks at Camp Nou in 2018 move to Italy appeared to be on the cards at one stage, with Roma reaching an agreement with Bordeaux.

Barca were to hijack that deal and push through a £36 million ($46m) transfer of their own.

Big things were expected of the South American in Catalunya, but he has become a fringe figure.

Malcom has figured in just 19 games this season, while making only three La Liga starts.

Exit speculation surfaced within months of his arrival in Catalunya, and a lack of action since has sparked further transfer talk.

Milan, along with rivals Inter, have been heavily linked with the 22-year-old, as well as Premier League side Tottenham.

Malcom’s representative has, however, rubbished claims that discussions with suitors have already been opened.

Luis Fernandi Menez Garcia told Mundo Deportivo when quizzed on the Milan links: “I’m not talking to any club.”

He also pointed out that he is the only person who can discuss Malcom’s future, so reports of others entering into talks on his behalf are wide of the mark.

A highly-rated forward has offered no suggestion that he is looking for a way out of Barca.

Exit speculation surfaced within months of his arrival in Catalunya, with Malcom posting on social media back in November: “About news that came out here in Spain, I want to clarify this: I came to Barcelona with many objectives, and those who know me know that I am a very determined person.

“I’m very happy with my development with every passing day. My objective is to make my dreams come true.

“My family is also adapting very well to the city. Anyway, I’ll continue fighting for everything I desire in my career.”

There does not appear to have been any relaxing of that stance, with Malcom still chasing down a treble in 2018-19.

Barcelona can wrap up the Liga title this weekend, while they are also through to the Copa del Rey final and semi-finals of the Champions League.

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The Blancos fell to their 10th Liga loss of the season against the club that started the day bottom of the table and provoked the ire of their coach

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane admitted that he just wanted to see the current season come to a close after his team suffered yet another damaging Liga defeat. 

Rayo Vallecano inflicted the 10th reverse of the league season on Zidane’s demoralised troops, Adrian Embarba’s penalty proving the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for the relegation battlers. 

It is the first time that Rayo have beaten their more illustrious neighbours in La Liga for more than 20 years and a result that all but condemns the Merengue to third place in 2018-19, a repeat of last season’s finish under Zidane.

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Madrid have fallen further behind champions Barcelona and Atletico Madrid since the Frenchman returned to the job he left last summer, and he could not hide his fury at an abject performance on Sunday. 

“We did nothing from the first minute to the last,” Zidane fumed to reporters after the game. 

“Sometimes you can’t score, but you have chances. We didn’t play at all. We have to be very angry, I am. Because we left a bad image today and I am responsible, not just the players. We have to apologise for what we did today.

“It would be better for the season to end as soon as possible. We have three games left and we have to play them. We cannot finish like that, giving that image. 

“In the end nothing I had planned today came off, what I thought of the team or the strategy. We have to respect the game of football, respect this club and we have to finish these three games because we are going to have to play better than today.

“What we saw today is unacceptable.”

The end of the current season is expected to herald a drastic overhaul of the Madrid squad, who also suffered early eliminations in the Champions League and Copa del Rey prior to Zidane’s arrival. 

One of the players tipped to leave is Gareth Bale, and his coach deflected questions over what the future held for the Wales international: “I don’t know, you will have to ask him.

“It was everything today: our attitude, our play. We did not offer anything in the duels or running. There are tough games but today we didn’t do anything that we should have done on the field. 

“I will always defend my players. This happened today, but it is not just their fault. I am to blame, I put the team out and prepare for matches. And we did everything wrong. I must have something to do with it.”

Madrid will be back in action next Sunday at home to Villarreal, before closing out an underwhelming campaign with clashes against Real Sociedad and Betis.