The Highlanders have played the Rebels eight times in Super Rugby since 2011, the Highlanders have won six matches and lost twice.
The Highlanders six wins from eight matches give them a record of winning 75% of their matches against the Rebels regardless of venue.
- The ‘Landers have won their last four home games versus the Rebels, although, they did lose their most recent encounter with the Melbourne club though, almost exactly a year ago (1st March 2019).
- Aaron Mauger’s side lost their last home game against the Sharks; however, they’ve not lost back to back Super Rugby games on home soil since the opening two rounds of the 2017 campaign (v Chiefs & Crusaders).
- The Highlanders have won their last 12 Super Rugby games when hosting Australian teams, their last such defeat coming in March 2014 against the Force.
- The Melbourne Rebels have made 199 carries across the gain-line in Super Rugby this season, more than any other side while their 58% gain-line success rate is the best of any team this campaign.
- The Rebels’ Isi Naisarani has made 53 carries this season, more than any other player, while his tally of 19 defenders beaten is the most of any forward and the joint fourth-most overall.
Match detail
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1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in New Zealand.
3.00: Scrum time.
4.00: It’s all Rebels in the opening stages.
6.00: The Rebels look up for this, they are going through the phases and offloading like a New Zealand team.
8.00: TRY! Billy Meakes opens the scoring for the Aussies. The centre carries several defenders over the line with him after Toomua’s deft pass sent Meakes away. 0-5
9.00: CONVERSION! Matt Toomua adds the extras. 0-7
11.00: The Rebels are dominating the early exchanges.
12.00: TRY! Anaru Rangi gets the scoring Rebels’ second. 0-12
14.00: CONVERSION! Matt Toomua ADDS THE EXTRAS. 0-14
17.00: The Highlanders need to get into this game, they are off the pace.
19.00: TRY! Andrew Kellaway is in for the visitors’ third inside the opening quarter. 0-19
21.00: CONVERSION! Toomua makes no mistake with the conversion. 0-21
22.00: Dave Wessels will be very happy so far. Melbourne has never won in Otago, but this start gives them a great opportunity.
23.00: The Highlanders are attacking near the Australians’ 22.
24.00: TRY! Josh McKay scores in the corner after a sweeping attack inside the Rebels’ 22. 5-19
26.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 7-19
28.00: The Rebels are back inside the ‘Landers’ half, but they cannot breach the defence.
30.00: OH, NO! James Lentjes is down with what looks like a broken leg. The medics are on, he is taking oxygen. This does not look good for the Highlanders skipper. Lentjes leaves the field on a buggy after a long delay. The Australians all go over to wish him well as the cart leaves the field.
31.00: Scrum to the Rebels.
33.00: Angus Cottrell gets pinged near the Kiwis’ line after going to ground following a knock-on. Melbourne went a dozen phases but could not get over the line. Good defending by Aaron Mauger’s side.
34.00: Daniel Lienert-Brown leaves the field with an injury. The Highlanders lose their line-out.
35.00: STAT ATTACK! The Rebels have made 13 offloads to one of the Highlanders.
36.00: Aaron Smith goes wide Jona Nareki from the centre-field scrum. Again, the home team probes go nowhere before losing the ball in contact.
37.00: Marika Koroibete gets penalised for playing the ball on the ground; he’s very unlucky.
38.00: WOW! What a try-saving tackle by Meakes and Rangi on Nareki in the corner of the Rebels’ 22. The break came from two Melbourne players attempting to intercept a long, floated pass inside the Highlanders’ 22.
39.00: Toomua puts the ball away into touch after winning a defensive lineout on their line.
40.00: TRY! Smith finishes off a well-worked attack involving Siate Tokolahi, Ash Dixon and Jesse Parete, who pops to the halfback, on his inside, and the All Black No 9 carries a couple of defenders over the chalk with him. 12-21
41.00: CONVERSION! Ioane adds the extras. making it a one-score ball-game as the hooter sounds. 14-21
The halftime score was Highlanders 14 Rebels 21
41.00: PEEEEP! Mitch Hunt gets the second half underway.
43.00: The Rebels win a Highlanders throw and win a penalty after Jack Whetton goes off his feet at the ruck.
44.00: Another knock-on by Melbourne inside the opposition 22 kills a promising attack.
46.00: A high tackle gives the hosts an advantage under the posts. They eventually win another penalty and take it quickly. Dixon goes close but is pushed back.
47.00: Referee Paul Williams tells Michael Collins he cannot take a second penalty quickly. The hosts opt for a scrum under the sticks. The Rebels have given away three penalties, so they will need to be careful they don’t lose a man to the bin.
48.00: NO TRY! Marino Mikaele Tu’u thinks he’s scored but after a TMO review, the try is chalked off due to Smith’s no-look forward pass. The number eight’s grounding was so-so too. Scrum to the visitors.
51.00: The line-speed of the Rebels’ defence, led by Meakes and Tom English, has put enormous pressure on the Kiwis.
52.00: TRY! Kellaway intercepts Smith’s long, looping pass and races 65 metres to score against the run of play. The winger read that like a book. It’s that rush-defence again! 14-26
53.00: CONVERSION! Toomua is on fire from the tee. 14-28
56.00: It’s all Highlanders, but they keep turning over possession.
58.00: Koroibete has been pinged again, this time for side entry and going off his feet at the ruck.
59.00: Jermaine Ainsley is offsides; it’s the fourth penalty given away inside the “Red Zone” by Wessels’ side. Smith informs the ref.
60.00: OH, DEAR! Another lineout disaster as the ball sails over the jumper. It’s the fourth lineout lost by the hosts tonight.
61.00: Toomua almosts intercepts another loose pass by the home side. The Rebels’ rush-defence has been immense this evening. Scrum to the ‘ Landers just inside the Melbourne 22.
63.00: TRY! A 10-phase attack ends when Rob Thompson draws two defenders before sending Scott Gregory, alone on the wing, in for his first try of 2020. 19-28
64.00: MISS! Ioane’s kick rebounds of the right-hand upright. 19-28
65.00: YELLOW CARD! Try scorer Gregory takes out Dane Haylett-Petty in the air. Gregory was in no position to take the ball; instead, he turned his back, knocking the fullback in the air. His timing is wrong, but it’s dangerous. 19-28
67.00: The Rebels kick to the corner, but lose possession and the highlanders clear.
68.00: YELLOW CARD! Meakes is sent to the naughty step for offsides at the lineout. It is his second and the visitors’ seventh inside the “Red Zone”. 19-28
68.00: PENALTY! Ioane reduces the gap from in front. 22-28
69.00: Teariki Ben-Nicholas knock-on near his 22. It will be a centre-field scrum to the Rebels.
73.00: some good scramble-defending saves the Highlanders.
75.00: Gregory is back on the field, but his side has a scrum on their 5m.
78.00: Penalty at the lineout to the hosts. Toomua then gives away a free-kick.
79.00: The Highlanders are near the 22. We go back for a penalty after Haylett-Petty is taken out for the second time in the air. This time its Nareki who cleans out the fullback.
79.00: YELLOW CARD! Nareki is off. 22-28
80.00: The Highlanders win a penalty and boot the ball to the 22; however, their lineout goes to pot again.
81.00: The hooter sounds, and the ball is booted into the stands. It’s a famous win for the Rebels!
FULL TIME
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The final score s Highlanders 22 (14) Rebels 28 (21)
Scorers
Highlanders
Tries – McKay. A. Smith, Gregory
Pen – J. Ioane
Con – J. Ioane (2)
Drop –
Cards – Gregory (Yellow, 65′)
Rebels
Tries – Meakes, Rangi, Kellaway (2)
Pen –
Con – Toomua (4)
Drop –
Cards – Meakes (Yellow, 68′), Nareki (Yellow, 79′)
Match Officials
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Ref 1: James Doleman
Assistant Ref 2: James Munro
TMO: Chris Hart
Teams
Head Coach: Aaron Mauger
15 Michael Collins, 14 Josh McKay, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Josh Ioane, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Mitch Hunt, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Marino Mikaele Tu’u, 7 James Lentjes (captain), 6 Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 5 Jack Whetton, 4 Jesse Parete, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Ayden Johnstone, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20 Dillon Hunt, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Teihorangi Walden, 23 Scott Gregory.
Head Coach: Dave Wessels
15 Dane Haylett-Petty (captain), 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Tom English, 12 Bill Meakes, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Matt To’omua, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Matt Philip, 4 Gideon Koegelenberg, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Anaru Rangi, 1 Matt Gibbon.
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Cameron Orr, 18 Cabous Eloff, 19 Ross Haylett-Petty, 20 Rob Leota, 21 Frank Lomani, 22 Michael Wells, 23 Andrew Deegan.