Brumbies beat Rebels in Melbourne

The Brumbies have won four of their last five Super Rugby games against the Melbourne Rebels (L1), including their last two on the bounce; the last and only time they won more in succession against the Rebels was a five-game streak from June 2011 to June 2013.

The Melbourne Rebels have won three of their last four games when hosting the Brumbies in Super Rugby competitions (L1); although, they were defeated 26-20 in their last such fixture (18 April 2021).

• The Melbourne Rebels have lost their last eight consecutive games in Super Rugby competitions; the last and only previous time they lost more in succession was a 12-game stretch from April 2011 to March 2012 which included a defeat to the Brumbies.
• The Brumbies will be looking to open a Super Rugby campaign with four straight wins for just the second time since the beginning of 2014, having also won four in succession to begin the 2020 Super Rugby AU season.
• The Brumbies have won 10 of their last 13 Super Rugby games against Australian opponents (L3) with all three defeats in that span coming by margins of no greater than three points.
• The Brumbies (28) have won more turnovers than any other team in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season while no team has won fewer than the Melbourne Rebels (9).
• The Brumbies have made 11.3 entries per game into the opposition 22m zone this Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition and four per game more than the Melbourne Rebels (7.3).
• Rob Valetini (Brumbies) has crossed for a try in each of his last two Super Rugby games and will be looking to score a try in three consecutive games for the first time.
• Reece Hodge (Melbourne Rebels) has scored five tries in his five Super Rugby home games against the Brumbies. he’s made 33 carries in that span for 86 metres gained and four line breaks.
• Tom Banks (Brumbies) has made four line breaks this Super Rugby Pacific campaign, more than any other player in the competition; Banks has crossed for a try in two of his last four Super Rugby games against the Melbourne Rebels.

Match detail

We are waiting for the kick-off.

In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.

1.00: PEEEP! We are underway in Melbourne.

4.00: MISS! Reece Hodge misses from halfway.

7.00: It’s a bit scrappy at the moment, not much happening.

10.00: Both teams are guilty of conceding possession with turnovers and penalties; it is very stop-start with injuries too.

12.00: Offsides by Brumbies allows Hodge to set up an attacking lineout inside the 22.

14.00: For all their territory and possession, the Rebels cannot hang onto the ball, or find a way through the Brumbies.

15.00: TRY! Rob Valetini opens the scoring for the Brumbies. 0-5

17.00: CONVERSION! Noah Lolesio adds the extras.

21.00: It’s all Brumbies after the try, they are testing the Rebels’ defensive line with some strong running and offloading.

24.00: Rebels keep kicking away possession, while the Brumbies look to probe, keeping the ball in hand as they search for holes in the wall.

26.00: TRY! Something from nothing as Len Ikitau scores his side’s second. Jesse Mogg stood up the defenders and offloaded to Tom Banks. Banks dragged in Andrew Kellaway and Tamati Ioane-Niko, who both slipped off the fullback before sending Ikitau away untouched to score. 0-12

27.00: MISS! The kick is not good. 0-12

30.00: PENALTY! Matt To’omua puts the Rebels on the scoreboard. 3-12

31.00: YELLOW CARD! Glen Vaihu is off for a dangerous tackle in the air of Banks. 3-12

34.00: Irae Simone is isolated inside his 22. Brumbies, however, opt for a scrum.

36.00: TRY! Nic White breaks blind and floats a long, cut-out pass to Tom Wright, who dots down in the corner untouched. 3-17

38.00: MISS! Lolesio cannot land the two. 3-17

40.00: A centrefield scrum ends with the visitors winning a kickable penalty before halftime after a late hit by Matt Philip. Banks kicks to the corner.

42.00: A terrible forward pass by Simone goes to ground, the Rebels try tyo counter, but also knock-on.

The halftime score was Rebels 3 Brumbies 17

41.00: PEEEP! To’omua gets us back underway in Victoria, Australia.

43.00: TRY! Wright has another after a mistake by To’omua, who let Banks’ rolling grubber bounce over the try line. To’omua did not see Wright, and the winger’s patience paid off. Banks began the attack when he collected a bounce-pass and sped from outside his 22 to the Rebels’ 22 before putting in the pin-point grubber. 3-22

45.00: CONVERSION! Lolesio finds his radar. 3-24

47.00: TRY! Cabous Eloff crashes over from close range to keep the Rebels in the contest. 8-24

47.00: CONVERSION! To’omua adds the extras. 10-24

51.00: TRY! Jahrome Brown bursts through the driving maul to increase the Brumbies’ lead. 10-29

52.00: MISS! Lolesio hits the post. 10-29

56.00: The Rebels are inside the 22, mounting another series of attacks that go nowhere.

57.00: YELLOW CARD! Nic White is off for 10 minutes because he was offside. 10-29

60.00: The Brumbies milk the clock as the scrums need resetting. Rebels have to score from this attacking scrum, especially with the extra player and no halfback.

63.00: The visitors are winning everything in the air. The Brumbies keep conceding penalties that hurt their chances of mounting a come back.

65.00: NO TRY! Rod Iona will not be awarded the try after a simultaneous grounding. 10-29

69.00: TRY! Richard Hardwick is over for his fourth Super Rugby try. 15-29

70.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 17-29

74.00: More mistakes near the try line by the Brumbies is costing them a bonsus point.

76.00: TRY! Banks barges his way through defenders to win the game for the visitors. 17-34

77.00: CONVERSION! Ryan Lonergan adds two more.

81.00: Rebels look for something to cheer.

83.00: YELLOW CARD! Sefo Kautai is off. 17-36

86.00: YELLOW CARD! James Slipper is also off. 17-36

87.00: Held up! Brumbies repel Rebels with 13 men. Superb defending.

FULL TIME

To refresh this page, click HERE. Live In-Play Betting.

The final score is Melbourne Rebels 17 (3) Brumbies 36 (17)

Scorers

Melbourne Rebels
Tries – Eloff, Hardwick
Pen – To’omua
Con – To’omua (2)
Drop –
Cards – Vaihu (Yellow, 31′)

Brumbies
Tries – Valetini, Ikitau, Wright (2), Brown, Banks
Pen –
Con – Lolesio (2), R. Lonergan
Drop –
Cards – White (Yellow, 57′), Kautai (Yellow, 83′), Slipper (Yellow, 86′)

Match Officials
Referee: Graham Cooper
Assistant Ref 1:Nic Berry
Assistant Ref 2:James Quinn
TMO: Brett Cronan

Teams

Melbourne Rebels

15 Reece Hodge, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Lukas Ripley, 12 Ray Nu’u, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Matt To’omua, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Tamati Ioane-Niko, 7 Brad Wilkin, 6 Michael Wells (captain), 5 Josh Canham, 4 Matt Philip, 3 Cabous Eloff, 2 Jordan Uelese, 1 Cameron Orr

Replacements: 16 Efi Ma’afu, 17 Isaac Aedo Kailea, 18 Rhys Van Nek, 19 Ross Haylett-Petty, 20 Richard Hardwick, 21 Moses Sorovi, 22 Carter Gordon, 23 Young Tonumaipea

Brumbies

15 Tom Banks, 14 Tom Wright, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Jesse Mogg, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Nic White, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Ala’alatoa (captain), 2 Connal McInerney, 1 Scott Sio

Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 James Slipper, 18 Sefo Kautai, 19 Ed Kennedy, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Rod Iona, 23 Chris Feauai-Sautia