Since 2006, and for the last ten matches between the Brumbies and the Rebels, the winners have alternated wins. The Rebels won the last match between the sides.
The Brumbies and Rebels have played each other 18 times in Super rugby and the Brumbies have won 11 matches and lost 7.
- The Brumbies have won five of their six home games against the Rebels including their last two in a row; their solitary defeat came in 2011 at Carisbrook.
- The Brumbies have won their last 10 in a row at home, only once before have they gone on a longer such run (W13, 2000-2002).
- The Rebels have lost their last two games, the last time they lost more was a three-game drought to open the 2015 campaign.
- Only the Crusaders (15) have scored more tries in the final quarter of games this campaign than the Rebels (14); the Brumbies have scored just seven tries in this period.
- Ash Dixon has a throw success rate of 92% this campaign, the second best of any player to have made at least 30 throws this season.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway at an ice cold GIO Stadium.
4.00: Some reset scrums early on in Canberra. The Rebels lose the ball forward after Tom English broke the advantage line.
5.00: Colby Fainga’a tackles Lachlan Mccaffrey, gets to his feet and wins the penalty when the blindside does not release. Jack Debreczeni kicks to the corner.
7.00: Angus Cottrell breaks from his 10-metre line. He beats Henry Speight’s tackle, runs past Wharenui Hawera before being brought down by Joe Powell. Cottrell gets his offload to English, who speeds away down the touchline for the opening try of the game. 0-5
8.00: MISS! The conversion is wide. 0-5
10.00: The Brumbies are penalised twice in quick succession. Reece Hodge can clear the danger.
12.00: Tom Cusack gathers the ball after Anaru Rangi misses his jumpers, and storms down the field. Again, though, the ball is lost forward in contact.
14.00: Marika Koroibete steps out before he even touches the ball. Poor from the winger. The Rebels are caught offsides and the Brumbies kick to the corner.
16.00: TRY! Cusack crashes over from close range after the Brumbies went nine phases inside the Rebels 22. It’s the flanker’s first try of the season. 5-all
17.00: CONVERSION! Hawera slots the kick and puts his team in front. 7-5
20.00: The Rebels lose another lineout, this time they knock the ball on, so the Brumbies have the scrum.
21.00: Fereti Sa’aga is penalised after the Brumbies bulldozed him and the Rebels’ pack. Hawera clears to the opposition’s half.
22.00: YELLOW CARD! Amanaki Mafi is sent to the bin after a high shot on Scott Sio, who has left for an HIA.
24.00: TRY! Cusack breaks to the blindside, is tackled by Jack Maddocks but gets his offload to Faalelei Sione. It is the prop’s first Super Rugby try. 12-5
25.00: CONVERSION! Hawera slots the angled kick. 14-5
29.00: MISS! Debreczeni’s kick is wide; he really should have nailed that. 14-5
31.00: TRY! Rob Valetini is over from close range. The Brumbies are going through the phases and have the Rebels back-peddling. Cusack caught the ball and offloaded to Speight. The ball was recycled quickly and it is try time. 19-5
33.00: CONVERSION! Hawera adds the extras. 21-5
35.00: Geoff Parling with one of the funniest attempted grubber-drop-kick ever seen on a rugby pitch. Luckily, the Rebels win the penalty for offsides.
39.00: The Rebels have some good possession inside the Brumbies 22. They are going through the phases, and are looking dangerous.
40.00: TRY! English goes over in the corner. Koroibete took a long pass and cut back inside before offloading to the supporting English. Important score for the visitors. 21-10
42.00: MISS! Hodge’s sideline kick is just wide of the posts. 21-10
The halftime score was Brumbies 21 Rebels 10
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in Australia.
43.00: Adam Coleman is unluckily penalised for a high tackle. Hawera kicks to the corner.
44.00: The rolling maul is collapsed by Rangi and Sa’aga. The referee threatens Coleman with a yellow card if the Rebels infringe again.
45.00: Powell’s pass hits Tevita Kuridrani in the head. Koroibete cleans up but is pushed out over the dead-ball line. Five-metre scrum under the posts for the Brumbies.
46.00: Sa’aga is pinged again, this time for collapsing. The Brumbies opt for another scrum.
50.00: The Brumbies break blind – after four reset scrums – but lose the ball at the breakdown. The Rebels clear. Good defence by the Melbourne team.
51.00: The Brumbies are camped inside the Rebels 22. We are checking to see if Jack Maddocks has intentionally knocked down the ball. It’s just a penalty.
52.00: Big defence by the Rebels. They stop the Brumbies driving maul and win the turnover after holding them up.
56.00: PENALTY! Hawera extends the lead to two converted tries. 24-10
57.00: Maddocks drops a high ball and gifts the home team a penalty in front of the sticks because of accidental offsides. Hawera calls for the tee.
59.00: MISS! Hawera pulls his kick wide from in front. 24-10
60.00: The Rebels finally get their hands on the pill, but they are being pushed back.
61.00: TRY! Maddocks is over under the posts after taking the ball at first-receiver. He ghosted through a huge hole in the Brumbies’ defence for the score. 24-15
62.00: CONVERSION! Hodge slots the kick. We have a game in Canberra. 24-17
65.00: TRY! Semisi Tupou dives over in the corner after a powerful drive by the Rebels’ pack. Michael Ruru broke blind, drew his man and put the 18-year-old away for his first Super Rugby try. 24-22
66.00: CONVERSION! Hodge draws his sideline conversion between the sticks. 24-all
68.00: The game has turned on its head. It’s all Melbourne at the moment. Boy, that old dog ‘momentum’ has really shown up tonight.
72.00: Andy Muirhead latches onto a loose ball and toes it forward. The bounce is not kind but the winger gathers and offloads in the tackle. Mccaffrey knocks on trying to get his own offload away and the chance is gone.
73.00: The Rebels, defending their line, win the scrum penalty and clear the danger.
74.00: Matt Philip is penalised for not releasing after being tackled; he is livid with the call and has a go at the ref. Christian Lealiifano calls for the tee.
75.00: MISS! Lealiifano’s kick is wide. That is a big chance gone begging for the hosts. 24-all
76.00: The Rebels have gone 10 phases, bashing the ball up through the middle in search of a winner.
77.00: The Brumbies counter-ruck superbly and win the penalty. The Rebels had gone 15 phases and probably could have had a penalty for a high shot on Billy Meakes. It’s a penalty; it’s high and Coleman was punished for less, earlier in the half.
79.00: PENALTY! Hodge slots the winner in the shadows of full-time. 24-27
81.00: The Rebels bash their way down the field, holding onto the ball and waiting for the hooter to sound before booting the ball – and the Brumbies – into touch.
FULL-TIME.
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The final score: Brumbies 24 (21) Rebels 27 (10)
Scorers
Brumbies
Tries – Cusack, Sione, Valetini
Pen – Hawera
Con – Hawera (3)
Drop –
Cards –
Rebels
Tries – English (2), Maddocks, Tupou
Pen – Hodge
Con – Hodge (2)
Drop –
Cards – Mafi (Yellow, 22′)
Match Officials
Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant Ref 1: Will Houston
Assistant Ref 2: Jordan Way
TMO: Damien Mitchelmore
Teams
Brumbies
15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Lealiifano, 11 Andy Muirhead, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Tom Cusack, 6 Lachlan Mccaffrey, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Faalelei Sione, 18 Ben Alexander, 19 Blake Enever, 20 Lolo Fakaosilea, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 23 Lausii Taliauli.
Melbourne Rebels
15 Jack Maddocks, 14 Semisi Tupou, 13 Tom English, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Michael Ruru, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Colby Fainga’a, 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Adam Coleman (captain), 4 Geoff Parling, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Anaru Rangi, 1 Fereti Sa’aga,
Replacements: 16 Nathan Charles, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Jermaine Ainsley, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Sam Jeffries, 21 Lopeti Timani, 22 Harrison Goddard, 23 Billy Meakes.
