Force beat Rebels in Melbourne

The Western Force defeated the Rebels 16-15 in their most recent Super Rugby meeting (April 2021), snapping a three-match losing run against them; they will be aiming for back-to-back victories against the Melbourne side for the first time in the history of the competition.

The Melbourne Rebels have lost their last four Super Rugby matches in Victoria; the last time they went on a longer losing run in their home state was a seven-match span from May 2014 to March 2015.

• The Rebels have won only one of their last five Super Rugby games against Australian opposition (L4) and have not won at home against fellow Australian teams in any of their last three attempts.
• The Western Force’s last Super Rugby win away from home came in Round 8 of the 2021 Super Rugby AU season against the Melbourne Rebels (16-15); they have since lost five consecutive away games in Super Rugby competitions.
• Melbourne stole four lineouts in the opening round of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, twice as many as any other team in the competition (Western Force – 2).
• Kevin Foote’s side gained just 220 metres in the opening round of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, the fewest of any team and 186 metres fewer than the Western Force (406) who made the third-most of any team.
• The Rebels and Force each made just a single line break in the opening round of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign; only Fijian Drua (0) made fewer.
• The Western Force had an average of 2.6 rucks per possession in the opening round of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, the most of any team in the competition; their 114 carries throughout the game were also the third-most of any team and more than any other Australian club.

Players to watch

• Ross Haylett-Petty and Mat Philip each won five lineouts in the opening round of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition, the joint-most by any player; the Rebels were one of two teams in the opening round with multiple players to make as many (Hurricanes – Devan Flanders – 5 and James Blackwell – 5).
• Jake McIntyre (Western Force) crossed for a try in the Western Force’s opening round defeat to the Brumbies in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, snapping a 25-game tryless run; McIntyre made his Super Rugby debut in Round 14, 2015 against the Melbourne Rebels, scoring one of his four career tries on the day.

Match detail

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1.00: PEEEP! We are underway down under for this Aussie derby.

3.00: A couple of reset scrums to begin the game. Standard.

5.00: Reece Hodge botches his penalty touch-finder by kicking out the in-goal.

7.00: A forward pass by Santiago Medrano stops a promising Force attack

10.00: Hodge drops a high ball; he’s having a poor start to the game. Force have an attacking scrum.

12.00: A sustained but patient 14-phase attack ends when Fergus Lee-Warner knocks-on in contact near the Melbourne try line. That is poor from the lock.

14.00: The scrums are a mess, the Force have conceded two free kicks and a penalty, never mind the resets.

15.00: Eloff’s gaff gives the Force another good attacking opportunity inside the Rebels’ half. What was the prop doing?

17.00: A couple of stoppages for injuries give the players a rest. So far, not a good game, very messy, and stop-start.

20.00: PENALTY! Ian Prior opens the scoring. Finally! 0-3

23.00: The Force have all the ball, but cannot find a w way through the blue wall.

25.00: Glen Vaihu knocks the ball out into touch, Force had a penalty advantage, and kick to the corner.

26.00: Rebels have conceded five penalties in the last seven minutes. The ref will surely go to his pocket soon.

27.00: TRY! Tim Anstee takes the lineout, is tackled but releases to pick up the ball and scores. 0-8

28.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 0-10

31.00: Rebels botch an attacking lineout before conceding a scrum penalty. Melbourne not at the races tonight.

34.00: Joe Powell toes the ball ahead, and wins the Rebels a lineout near the Force’s 10m.

36.00: PENALTY! Matt To’omua puts his team on the board. 3-10

39.00: MISS! Matt To’omua misses a long-range penalty. 3-10

43.00: PENALTY! Prior increases his side’s lead. 3-13

The hafltime score was Melbourne Rebels 3 Western Force 13

41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway in Melbourne.

42.00: YELLOW CARD! Reece Hodge goes to the bin. 3-13

43.00: TRY! Kyle Godwin crosses after Prior’s switch from right to left off the attacking 8m scrum. Godwin slipped Young Tonumaipea’s tackle, and beat Powell to score. 3-18

44.00: CONVERSION! The kick is over! 3-20

47.00: Rebels are into the Force’s 22, it’s the visitors who have to defend their lines now.

50.00: Somehow, the Force manages to halt a powerful Rebels’ driving maul.

54.00: Force attacking with intent, they always seem to take points when they enter Melbourne’s half.

57.00: PENALTY! Prior increases the lead. 3-23

61.00: It’s all Force as Rebels struggle to hold onto possession, or put any meaningful attack together.

65.00: A couple of penalties agaisnt both teams for infringements at the breakdown. Hodge boots his team to the opposition’s 22.

66.00: No advantage to Froce, Hodge goes to the corner. It’s now or never – as we saw in Dunedin, earlier.

68.00: Once again, the home team loses the ball in contact; scrum visitors.

75.00: Wells gives away another needless penalty, Prior goes to the corner.

77.00: 2nd YELLOW CARD! Red CARD! Hodge is off for a deliberate knockdown near his line. 3-23

80.00: TRY! Byron Ralston seals the deal. 3-28

82.00: MISS! The kick is no good. 3-28

FULL TIME

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The final score is Melbourne Rebels 3 (3) Western Force 28 (13)

Scorers

Melbourne Rebels
Tries –
Pen – To’omua
Con –
Drop –
Cards – Hodge (Yellow, 42′; 2nd Yellow/Red 77′)

Western Force
Tries – Anstee, Godwin, Ralston
Pen – Prior (3)
Con – Prior (2)
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant Ref 1: Jordan way
Assistant Ref 2: James Palmer
TMO: Oli Kellett

Teams

Melbourne Rebels

15 Reece Hodge, 14 Young Tonumaipea, 13 Stacey Ili, 12 Raymond Nu’u, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Matt To’omua, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Michael Wells (captain), 7 Brad Wilkin, 6 Sam Wallis, 5 Ross Haylett-Petty, 4 Matt Philip, 3 Cabous Eloff, 2 Jordan Uelese, 1 Cameron Orr

Replacements: 16 James Hanson, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Sef Fa’agase, 19 Thomas Nowlan, 20 Tamati Ioane-Niko, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Carter Gordon, 23 George Worth

Western Force

15 Jake Strachan, 14 Toni Pulu, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Richard Kahui, 11 Manasa Mataele, 10 Reesjan Pasitoa, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Tim Anstee, 7 Kane Koteka, 6 Brynard Stander, 5 Izack Rodda, 4 Fergus Lee-Warner, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Feleti Kaitu’u (captain), 1 Tom Roberston

Replacements: 16 Andrew Ready, 17 Harry Lloyd, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Ryan McCauley, 20 Ollie Callan, 21 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22 Jake McIntyre, 23 Byron Ralston