Rebels add three ex-Force Super players

Three more ex-Western Force players - Matt Philip, Billy Meakes and Richard Hardwick - have joined the Melbourne Rebels for the Super Rugby season.

The Melbourne Rebels will have a distinct Western Force flavour after signing another three players from the defunct Super Rugby club.

Wallabies Matt Philip, Billy Meakes and Richard Hardwick will be in Melbourne next season as well as young five-eighth Tayler Adams, who has won a contract after impressing with the NRC's NSW Country Eagles and in the Rebels' recent exhibition game in Japan.

Two-year deals for Philip, Hardwick and Meakes will see them reunite with Force coach David Wessels, while Perth players Dane and Ross Haylett-Petty and props Tetera Faulkner and Ben Daley have already committed to the club.

Melbourne are still intent on also signing gun lock Adam Coleman, who is on tour with the Wallabies.

Fellow lock Philip made his Test debut against Japan a fortnight ago while backrower Hardwick played two Tests in June. Midfielder Meakes has also been in the Wallabies mix but is yet to make his debut.

"We're delighted to have Matt, Dickie and Billy join us," Wessels said.

"All three of them work incredibly hard and want to be part of the Wallabies team at the next World Cup and they'll be a great addition to our squad both on and off-field."

Adams, a former New Zealand U20s representative, won the Shute Shield's Player of the Year, the Ken Catchpole Medal with West Harbour and finished this year's NRC as the fourth leading point scorer.

He will be a handy addition with playmakers Jack Debreczeni and Jackson Garden-Bachop departing the club.


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Source: AAP



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