Melbourne Rebels Media Release –

With the Christmas break looming nearer for all at the Club, RaboDirect Rebels prop Tim Metcher admits that his first ever pre-season block at the Club has been taxing; but he wouldn’t have it any other way!

Metcher signed his first ever professional contract when he joined the Club from Southern Districts in Sydney’s Shute Shield for the 2015 Asteron Life Super Rugby season, a competition where he has been a standout performer in recent years. And as Metcher explains, some of his friends and family didn’t realise quite the commitment required to be a full-time professional athlete; he’s happy to point it out to them now!

“It’s funny, I speak to people who think it’s a pretty nice job to lift some weights and then go for a run around, but it’s a lot more work than that!” he says. “There are a lot of meetings and there’s so much knowledge to acquire, and then also preparing your body for training and the learning about and implementing the nutritional side of things afterwards too. It’s a full time job; don’t let anybody tell you anything different!”

Metcher has spent time previously in both the NSW Waratahs and Brumbies academies; however as a full-time member of the senior squad here in Melbourne, he believes he is being exposed to a world-class Rugby program.

“Pre-season has been really tough, but exciting as well,” he says. “There are a lot of different aspects that we have to cover as professional Rugby players, but coming into a program that is so well run by Tony McGahan, Todd Louden and Zane Hilton has been rewarding. I’m learning plenty.

“Being involved with other franchises before, you do get an idea and basis of how a program runs, but you never fully understand something until you jump into it head first.”

Prop Tim Metcher has been adjusting to life in the professional arena

Improvement is a word that bobs up plenty when you speak to Metcher about his game; he is under no illusions that a great deal of hard work is required to step up and hopefully make an impact in the toughest provincial Rugby competition on the planet, but his insatiable appetite to get better is encouraging.

“We constantly review every aspect of what we do, and I am learning a lot from the feedback,” Metcher said. “I watch the other props to see where I can get better, and Cruze Ah-Nau is one guy who just backs himself so much on working hard; it’s very impressive, and a great example.”

Just seven new Rebels have joined the Club ahead of 2015, the fewest new arrivals in the Rebels’ short history, and Metcher believes settling into Melbourne has been made easier by a group who are always keen to help out the fresh squad members.

“The squad have been very welcoming; it’s only a small intake of new players, and everybody has embraced us with open arms,” he says. “Higgers and Weeksy have been great at telling us about some of the best coffee spots and places to eat, and I couldn’t be happier with the transition to life in Melbourne. I feel very comfortable with the family atmosphere amongst the boys; it’s been unreal so far.”

With a short break now planned over the Christmas break, Metcher is looking forward to relaxing a little bit, but will keep up some analysis and fitness work throughout his holiday.

“The two week break is great to refresh the mind and body, but you have to keep ticking over and working on our knowledge,” he says. “We come back from Christmas straight into six months of full time footy so you need to make sure you are ready for that, but it will be good to ease off a little bit and see the family and friends; we know we are coming back in at full noise!”