The Hurricanes have won eight of their nine Super Rugby matches against the Melbourne Rebels (L1) and have won their last eight meetings on the bounce; they have averaged 44 points per game in those wins.
The Hurricanes have won all five of their previous home games against the Melbourne Rebels by an average margin of 33 points per game; indeed, only once in that period have they conceded 20 points or more.
- The Canes have won their last three consecutive home games in Super Rugby Pacific by a combined score of 150-34, including a 67-5 win in their last home game – their second-biggest ever home win in a Super Rugby game.
- The Kiwis have won their last 13 consecutive home games against Australian teams; in fact, their last defeat came in Round 10, 2015.
- The Melbourne Rebels have lost their last eight Super Rugby games against New Zealand teams by an average of 24 points per game; their last win against a Kiwi team came away to the Highlanders in Round 5, 2020.
- The Hurricanes have made 15 offloads resulting in a break, the joint-most by any team in the competition (also Blues – 15); the Melbourne Rebels (11) have logged the most by an Australian team.
- The Rebels have a tackle success rate of 71%, the lowest of any team in the competition.
- Culture Round Super Rugby Pacific standings.
Players to watch
- Jordie Barrett has made 129 carries, the most by any back and the second-most of any player overall (Harry Wilson – 156 for Queensland Reds).
- Reece Hodge has conceded 22 turnovers; only Jordie Barrett (24) and Crusaders’ Will Jordan (24) have logged more.
LATE CHANGES: Dane Coles, Asafo Aumua, Salesi Rayasi, Wes Goosen and Jamie Booth (all illness) are late scratchings for the Hurricanes.
James O’Reilly starts at hooker, with Siua Maile on the bench. Josh Moorby starts on the wing with Cameron Roigard and Peter Umaga-Jensen added to the replacements.
Match detail
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In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEP! We are underway in Wellington, New Zealand.
3.00: TRY! A wonderful sweeping backline move ends with Julian Savea scoring his 57th Super Rugby try. Savea is now one try behind TJ Perenara on the Hurricanes’ all-time list, and three behind Israel Folau (60). 5-0
5.00: MISS! Jordie Barrett can not convert. 5-0
6.00: Melbourne earns a couple of penalties before Wells points to the poles. Reece Hodge leaves the field after a big hit from Josh Moorby.
8.00: PENALTY! Matt To’omua puts his side on the board. 5-3
10.00: TRY! Another sweeping backline move off the back of a lineout ends in five. The Canes’ decoy runners opened up a gap for Billy Proctor to take TJ Perenara’s weighted pass and ghost through a big hole to score under the sticks. 10-3
11.00: CONVERSION! Barrett can’t miss this time. 12-3
14.00: A sustained Rebels’ attack ends with a forward pass by Matt To’omua.
17.00: The Canes’ forwards are all over the opposition.
19.00: TRY! Blake Gibson flops over the chalk after a powerful rolling maul by his fellow forwards. That’s three tries from lineouts for Jason Holland’s side. 17-3
20.00: CONVERSION! Barrett adds the two. 19-3
23.00: TRY! Matt To’omua draws his man and sends Lukas Ripley – on for the injured Reece Hodge – away for his maiden Super Rugby try after some sustained pressure inside the Hurricanes’ 22 by the Rebels. 19-8
25.00: MISS! Matt To’omua can not add the extras. 19-8
28.00: Perenara knocks-on near the try line after Tuttle lost the ball from a messy lineout. Scrum to the hosts on the 5m.
31.00: Corey Jane, the Hurricanes assistant coach, reveals on the sideline in-game interview that the Canes lost a day of training because of the flu outbreak in the squad.
33.00: The Rebels win a scrum penalty on their first feed to relieve the pressure.
35.00: TRY! Another try comes from a deft lineout move involving backs and forwards. TJ Perenara and Barrett combined with some slick passing to put James Blackwell in for the fourth score of the night. 24-8
36.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 26-8
38.00: Tuttle lobs a pass into touch after the visitors won a turnover. That is very rubbish by the Aussies.
43.00: Hurricanes kick to the corner, but for the first time all game, they cannot score from their lineout maul.
The halftime score was Hurricanes 26 Melbourne Rebels 8
43.00: PEEEP! We are back underway at the Cake Tin.
46.00: The Canes have not started well since the restart. The visitors look the more dangerous team.
50.00: TRY! Ripley is away for his second try of the night after a blistering attack. 26-13
51.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 26-15
54.00: The Canes are looking dangerous as they attack the reeling Rebels.
56.00: TRY! A quick-tap penalty ends with Maile crashing over from close range for his maiden Super Rugby try. 31-15
57.00: CONVERSION! Barrett slots the kick. 33-15
60.00: Melbourne doing well to keep the Canes out so far.
64.00: Another well defended lineout drive by the visitors, who won a turnover to clear the danger.
65.00: An 11-phase attack ends with Josh Moorby being tackled into touch by the prop Cameron Orr. What a magnificent tackle by the big man.
66.00: TRY! Barrett, at pace, takes Perenara’s flat pass and spins out of two tackles to score next to the poles: Game over!
67.00: CONVERSION! Barrett makes no mistake. 40-15
70.00: Rebels looking leggy, Canes not so much.
74.00: TRY! Like a thief in the night, Aidan Morgan scooped up a bouncing ball after Ripley lost possession in a tackle. The 20-year-old flyhalf raced away from the reeling defenders to increase the fat total. 45-15
75.00: MISS! Barratt’s kick is wide. 45-15
78.00: HAT-TRICK! Ripley chases To’omua’s grubber kick to claim a treble. 45-20
79.00: CONVERSION! To’omua adds two. 45-22
80.00: Gordon throws an intercept, but the Rebels win back the ball and counter-attack from their 22.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Hurricanes 45 (26) Rebels 22 (8)
Scorers
Hurricanes
Tries – J. Savea, Proctor, Gibson, Blackwell, Maile, J. Barrett, Morgan
Pen –
Con – J. Barrett (5)
Drop –
Cards –
Rebels
Tries – Ripley (3)
Pen – To’omua
Con – To’omua (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Ref 1: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 2: Mike Winter
TMO: Richard Kelly
Teams
Hurricanes: 15 Ruben Love, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Aidan Morgan, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 TK Howden, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Blake Gibson, 5 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 James O’Reilly, 1 Tevita Mafileo.
Replacements: 16 Siua Malie, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Owen Franks, 19 Scott Scrafton, 20 Caleb Delany, 21 Cameron Roigard, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Peter Umaga-Jensen
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Reece Hodge, 14 George Worth, 13 Andrew Kellaway, 12 Matt To’omua, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 James Tuttle, 8 Tamati Ioane, 7 Brad Wilkin, 6 Michael Wells (captain), 5 Rob Leota, 4 Matt Philip, 3 Pone Fa’amausili, 2 Jordan Uelese, 1 Matt Gibbon.
Replacements: 16 James Hanson, 17 Cameron Orr, 18 Cabous Eloff, 19 Josh Canham, 20 Richard Hardwick, 21 Joe Powell, 22 Lukas Ripley, 23 Nick Jooste.