A mantra of former Wallabies and now Melbourne Rebels rugby coach Rod Macqueen is that if you don't take risks, it's hard to achieve something special.

He has a believer in Welsh recruit Gareth Delve.

The 27-year-old put his place in next year's rugby world cup on the line by moving to Australia to play under Macqueen with the new Super side, which joins the expanded competition in February.

"I played with a lot of great southern hemisphere players back in the UK, like Greg Somerville and Carlos Spencer at Gloucester," Delve said in Melbourne.

"The opportunity to come down and test myself against guys of that calibre on their home patch was what did it for me.

"Super rugby had always been a closed option before in terms of the number of foreigners allowed to play so when this opportunity came up with the Rebels ... it was a bit of a once in life-time opportunity."

The No.8 flanker has won 11 caps for Wales, and was recalled to the national side for their Six Nations campaign this year after losing his spot following a knee injury in 2008.

Originally from Cardiff, he was captain of English powerhouse club Gloucester before his departure downunder, which had already put some Wales selectors off-side because he was playing outside the Welsh regional structure.

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards said earlier this year that if they thought Delve was the man for the job they would pick him no matter where he played.

"But there's no doubt it does go in your favour if you play in Wales and there's a 50:50 choice," Edwards added.

Delve hoped to make an impact in the southern hemisphere, particularly with the world cup in New Zealand next year, that couldn't be ignored.

"In my generation Super rugby is very highly thought of," he said.

"You look at the three teams who have been top of the tree for the majority of professionalism and that's been New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, with England having a very good period in between.

"I view this as an opportunity to play amongst the world's best players and it's nice to test yourself against them in their conditions."

"That was the big attraction for me because if you can make it down here you stand at a pretty rarified level."

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