Rebels coach Kevin Foote reacted by dropping Gordon to the bench for Saturday's clash with the Force<\/a> and shifting veteran Wallaby Matt To'omua from inside centre into the chief playmaking role.<\/p>\n Watch Rebels vs Force and every game of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, streaming ad-free, live and on demand only on Stan Sport.<\/em><\/strong> Sign up for your free seven day trial!<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n "It's a really strange one," Turinui, a former Rebels assistant coach, said on Stan Sport's Rugby Heaven<\/em>.<\/p>\n "The Rebels have backed him all the way through the preseason and they've picked him for round one. You look at Reece Hodge's performance in round one \u2013 as accomplished a Super Rugby player as Reece Hodge is, he was probably similar in performance to Carter Gordon.<\/p>\n "You've backed this kid all the way through \u2013 for me it says more about the selection and the coaching staff than it does the player. He's a young kid, one round, just stick with him. You've got Matt To'omua next to him, it's not like To'omua's replacing him from the team. It's a little bit panicky for mine. Are we plan B after one week?"<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Rugby world mourns All Blacks icon dead at 52<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Cooper granted Aussie citizenship after 75 Tests<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>Aussie giant Arnold cracks world rugby's rich list<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The 21-year-old Gordon was impressive in his opportunities late last season and is viewed as a future Wallabies No.10.<\/p>\n Commentator Sean Maloney said he had been made the scapegoat for the loss.<\/p>\n "I think he was the lightning rod for the result going against them," Maloney said.<\/p>\n "He should have been given the tactical rein to plug the corners, play the conditions. He would have been way better for the run, he would have been good this week."<\/p>\n But former Wallabies lock Justin Harrison offered a defence for the Rebels, who have never made the finals of an international Super Rugby competition.<\/p>\n "Coaches are obligated to design a gameplan and then pick a team around that gameplan," Harrison said.<\/p>\n "Having watched the Western Force dismantle the Brumbies in some ways physically \u2013 Pup To'omua may be a bit more robust in that centre field defence pairing. One thing I do know with the regime at the Melbourne Rebels \u2013 there's a plan.<\/p>\n "For a long time that was a criticism of the Rebels, they weren't able to react and adjust accordingly."<\/p>\n Turinui admitted that the outside world only sees "the tip of the iceberg" when watching players perform on game day.<\/p>\n "Kevin Foote \u2013 maybe we put our trust in him because he's seeing them day in and day out."<\/p>\n REBELS (15-1):<\/strong> Reece Hodge, Lachie Anderson, Stacey Ili, Raymond Nu'u, Glen Vaihu, Matt To'omua, Joe Powell, Michael Wells (c), Brad Wilkin, Sam Wallis, Ross Haylett-Petty, Matt Philip, Cabous Eloff, Jordan Uelese, Cameron Orr<\/p>\n Reserves<\/strong>: James Hanson, Matt Gibbon, Sef Fa'agase, Thomas Nowlan, Tamati Ioane, James Tuttle, Carter Gordon, Young Tonumaipea<\/p>\n FORCE (15-1):<\/strong> Jake Strachan, Toni Pulu, Kyle Godwin, Richard Kahui, Manasa Mataele, Reesjan Pasitoa, Ian Prior, Tim Anstee, Kane Koteka, Brynard Stander, Izack Rodda, Fergus Lee-Warner, Santiago Medrano, Feleti Kaitu'u (c), Tom Roberston<\/p>\n Reserves:<\/strong> Andrew Ready, Harry Lloyd, Greg Holmes, Ryan McCauley, Ollie Callan, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Jake McIntyre, Byron Ralston<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/em><\/strong> clicking here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui has questioned the wisdom of the Rebels benching rising five-eighth Carter Gordon after just one match of the Super Rugby season. 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