The Queensland Reds have won their last five Super Rugby games on the bounce against the Melbourne Rebels, and haven’t lost to them since a 30-24 defeat in 2019.
The Melbourne Rebels have lost only two of their last seven games at home against the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby (W4, D1); though, one of those two defeats came in their last such fixture in Round 7 of the 2021 Super Rugby AU campaign.
- The Melbourne Rebels have won their last two Super Rugby games on the bounce after having won only one of their 14 games prior; the last time they won more in succession was a three-game stretch from Round 4 to 6 in the 2020 Super Rugby AU season.
- The Rebels have lost their last five consecutive Super Rugby games at home against fellow Australian opposition, failing to score more than 20 points in a game in that period.
- The Reds have lost four of their last six away games in Super Rugby (W2) and have conceded exactly 16 points in each of their three away games so far in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign (W2, L1).
- The Rebels have made 15 tackle breaks per game in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the fewest of any team in the competition and three per game fewer than Queensland (18).
- Brad Thorn’s men have crossed the gainline on 61% of their total carries (413/673) this season, the second best rate of any team (Blues – 65%).
- Kevin Foote’s side has won four turnovers per game this season, the fewest of any team and four per game fewer than Thorn’s side (8).
Players to watch
- Jordan Uelese has scored a try in ach of his last two appearances for the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby after scoring only one try across his 19 games prior; he has never scored against the Queensland Reds (7 appearances).
- Harry Wilson (28) and Matt Philip (26) have made dominant contact on more carries than any other players in 2022.
Match detail
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In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEP! We are underway down under at AAMI Park, Melbourne.
2.00: PENALTY! James O’Connor opens the scoring. 0-3
5.00: Both teams kicking a lot in the early stages, which is very Australian these days.
7.00: Rebels looking dangerous, but nothing coming from attack yet.
9.00: Melbourne gets a kickable penalty, up steps Reece Hodge.
11.00: MISS! Hodge pulls his kick well wide. 0-3
14.00: A forward pass kills another Reds’ attack.
17.00: TRY! Some more magic from O’Connor leads to Connor Vest scoring the game’s first try. Hunter Paisami collected O’Connor’s deft grubber kick behind the Rebels’ defence, sucked in two defenders before playing in Vest. 0-8
19.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 0-10
22.00: Suliasi Vunivalu combined with Paisami down the righthand touchline, but the winger knocks on with the line at his mercy.
25.00: PENALTY! Matt To’omua puts the Rebels on the board. 3-10
28.00: TRY! The Reds stop a counter-attack inside their 22. Fraser McReight pounced at the ruck to win the turnover. the flanker broke through the ruck and raced to halfway before playing Harry Wilson on the sideline. Wilson charged forward, drew the defender before sending Tate McDermott 55 metres away for the score. WOW! 3-15
29.00: CONVERSION! The conversion is good. 3-17
31.00: YELLOW CARD! Suliasi Vunivalu is off for a high tackle on the landing Reece Hodge. No problem with that call. 3-17
32.00: TRY! Richard Hardwick wriggles over from close range after Reece Hodge’s linebreak set up the try. Hodge almost score himself but for a sublime last-ditch tackle by Hunter Paisami. Game on! 8-17
33.00: CONVERSION! To’omua adds the extras. 10-17
36.00: TRY! Lawson Creighton scores against the run of play after intercepting Glen Vaihu’s stray pass, and races 80 metres down the lefthand sideline to score his maiden Super Rugby try. 10-22
37.00: CONVERSION! O’Connor lands the wide conversion. 10-24
38.00: Rebels win a penalty, they boot to the corner.
39.00: TRY! James Hanson gets up with the ball after the Rebels pushed the Reds back over their try line. 15-24
41.00: MISS! To’omua misses from wide. 15-24
The halftime score was Rebels 15 Reds 24
41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway in Melbourne, Victoria.
43.00: A bit of a slow start for the second half.
47.00: Not much happening after an end-to-end first stanza, but knowing these two teams, the tries will start flowing.
50.00: Reece Hodge calls for the tee for another long-range attempt from halfway.
51.00: PENALTY! Hodge lands the goal. 18-24
54.00: Both coaches wringing the changes as the teams add fresh legs.
56.00: A lot of handling errors creeping into this game, it’s making for dull viewing.
59.00: Not sure what the two coaches said to their players, but it is not working, did not work. the mistakes have halted all the momentum of a free-flowing opening half.
61.00: Brad Wilkin wins a penalty inside his 22 to relieve the pressure.
62.00: The Reds have made 11 handling errors and conceded 10 penalties to three –– shocking!
63.00: TRY! Matt Philip barges through Angus Scott-Young to score under the posts. 23-24
64.00: CONVERSION! To’omua puts the Rebels ahead for the first time tonight. 25-24
67.00: TRY! Taniela Tupou takes McDermott’s pass, goes through Efi Ma’afu, and swallow dives under the posts for his 24th Super Rugby try. 25-29
67.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 25-31
68.00: TRY! McReight collects McDermott’s loose chicken-wing pass, and races from his 22 to the halfway line before sending a wonderful pass to Josh Flook to run away untouched in the corner. 25-36
70.00: MISS! The kick is no good. 25-36
72.00: Time is running out for Melbourne to end the Reds’ recent hold on this fixture.
74.00: TRY! Cabous Eloff crashes over to make it a nervy finish in Victoria. 30-36
76.00: CONVERSION! To’omua adds the two 32-36
78.00: Reds look to be closing out the tie, slowing the game down well.
81.00: The hooter sounds, the ball is booted to touch – game over!
FULL TIME
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The final score is Melbourne Rebels 32 (15) Queensland Reds 36 (24)
Scorers
Rebels
Tries – Hardwick, Hanson, Philip, Eloff
Pen – To’omua, Hodge
Con – To’omua (3)
Drop –
Cards –
Reds
Tries – Vest, McDermott, L. Creighton, Tupou, Flook
Pen – O’Connor
Con – O’Connor (4)
Drop –
Cards – Vunivalu (Yellow, 31′)
Match Officials
Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant Ref 1: Nic Berry
Assistant Ref 2: Amber McLachlan
TMO: Oli Kellett
Teams
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Reece Hodge, 14 George Worth, 13 Andrew Kellaway, 12 Stacey Ili, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Matt To’omua, 9 James Tuttle, 8 Tamati Ioane, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Michael Wells (captain), 5 Josh Hill, 4 Matt Philip, 3 Cabous Eloff, 2 James Hanson, 1 Matt Gibbon.
Replacements: 16 Efi Ma’afu, 17 Cameron Orr, 18 Rhys Van Nek, 19 Josh Canham, 20 Brad Wilkin, 21 Sam Wallis, 22 Joe Powell, 23 Carter Gordon.
Queensland Reds: 15 Jordan Petaia, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Hunter Paisami, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Filipo Daugunu, 10 James O’Connor, 9 Tate McDermott (captain), 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Connor Vest, 5 Angus Blyth, 4 Ryan Smith, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Richie Asiata, 1 Feao Fotuaika.
Replacements: 16 Matt Faessler, 17 Harry Hoopert, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Josh Flook, 23 Lawson Creighton.
