Wynne Gray: Rebels with a cause - but not a lot else

A year from now scrutiny of the Melbourne Rebels will have turned to their on-field exploits.

The who? What are you on about?

It is easy to forget but the Rebels have been awarded the licence to join the expanded Super 15 next season as the series morphs into a pools format.

The Rebels are battling to fill their roster. Reconstituted coach Rod Macqueen and chief executive Brian Waldron have bemoaned the restrictions on them attracting players.

They have permission to sign 10 overseas players but quite where a rugby franchise in an AFL-mad and soccer-crazy city gets that sort of money, without huge sponsorship and an Australian Rugby Union top-up, is the stuff of Merlin.

But let's say they get the lucre. Why should we be concerned in New Zealand? Because they will come hunting our age-group talent - easy targets for the promise of good money, new lifestyle and a possible fast-track to international status.

Just as the Force ate into the Reds and Brumbies when they started, the Rebels will also nibble away at their interstate rivals. There is already word they have a hit-list of five marquee players - Stirling Mortlock, Peter Hynes, Berrick Barnes, David Pocock and Benn Robinson - for next year.

They have compiled extensive lists of New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Argentina and South Africa talent playing offshore. Former Wallaby and Reds coach John Connolly has been tasked with tempting players and has been quizzing men like Phil Vickery, Steve Borthwick and Danny Cipriani about signing up. Others like Mark Gasnier are said to be in his sights.

There are complications. The 2011 season is also a World Cup year and players in Europe have been warned they will burn those chances if they sign for the Rebels.

The Wallaby selectors will scrutinise the players but their exploits will slip under the media and public radar if the pattern of the 2003 World Cup in Melbourne or the exploits of the NRL champion Storm are any guide.

Fringe players from other Australian squads will be tempted to switch if the money is right and they can get more matchplay.

But once again this season, we have seen how shallow the talent is spread in Ockerland. The Force have had to choose two 18-year-olds on the reserves bench against the Hurricanes tonight. They cannot shift James O'Connor from fullback to the problem five-eighths role because they have no backup at No 15.

After next year's World Cup, the global rugby landscape will change as players scoot off in all directions. Until then the Rebels might be left wondering about the timing of their Super 15 debut.