The Rebels have played the Brumbies 16 times since they joined Super Rugby in 2011 and Melbourne has won seven matches, losing nine.
There have been no draws between the sides. The Rebels have a record of winning 44% of their matches against the Brumbies.
- The Rebels have won their last three Super Rugby games on the bounce against the Brumbies, as many as they had won in their 12 meetings prior.
- Three of the last four Australian Super Rugby derbies involving the Rebels have been won by the away team on the day, with the Melbournians picking up two wins and two losses in that span.
- The Brumbies have won just two of their last eight games played away from home in Super Rugby (L6), conceding 40+ points on three occasions in that span.
- The Brumbies have conceded just 13 turnovers per game on average this season, fewer than any other side.
- Only the Bulls’ Rosko Speckman (8) has made more clean breaks in Super Rugby 2019 than the Brumbies’ Tevita Kuridrani (7).
Match detail
We are waiting for the kickoff.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in Melbourne for this Australian derby.
2.00: Christian Lealiifano kicks the ball into touch on the full, killing an eight-phase series by his side.
3.00: In two phases, the Rebels go 15 metres after Jack Maddocks takes Quade Cooper’s long, flat, skip-pass. The hosts win the penalty and kick to the corner.
4.00: Oops! They lose their own throw, first up, giving the Brumbies a let-off.
7.00: It’s a little stop-start at AAMI Park. The home team is inside the Brumbies’ half, but they can’t get their set-piece right.
8.00: The visitors clear, pinning the Rebels inside their 22.
10.00: Both teams are kicking too much; they are looking to play in each other’s half, but the kicks have been poor.
12.00: Penalty to the Brumbies from another set-piece. Lealiifano puts his team in a good position to launch an attack.
13.00: Tom Banks goes close but cannot get over the try line. He probably should have given the ball to Henry Speight, who was in support. The Rebels give away another penalty and the visitors opt for a scrum.
14.00: Speight goes close, but is held short. cooper is lucky not to be sent to the bin. The Brumbies want another scrum, which is surprising considering how destructive their driving maul has been, this season.
16.00: A few of reset scrums as the ACT side look to dominate at the tight phases. There’s a penalty in the post for the next reset.
17.00: Matt Gibbon is pinged, but yet again, no card. Another scrum to the Brumbies.
18.00: TRY! WHAT A FINISH! Joe Powell, for the third time, goes wide to the right. The ball is shifted quickly to Speight, who dives for the corner. Marika Koroibete gets across to make the tackle. The big winger almost knocks Speight into touch, but after a TMO review, there is no evidence to overturn the on-field call by Mr Jacobs. 0-5
19.00: CONVERSION! Lealiifano adds the tight touchline kick. 0-7
21.00: A big boost for the Rebels’ pack, winning a scrum-penalty. Cooper clears the danger.
24.00: Cooper gets back to save the day after a little kick in behind his back three. It’s a 22 drop-out to the hosts.
27.00: Will Genia snipes blind, puts in a chip-kick, but Powell is back to clean up. However, the scrumhalf takes the ball out, giving the Rebels a good field position.
28.00: David Pocock is called over for another infringement. Cooper calls for the kicking tee.
29.00: PENALTY! Cooper, from in front, puts his side on the board. 3-7
31.00: Koroibete and Robbie Abel are both caught offsides. AJ Jacobs decides that because it’s been a while since the last series of multiple infringements, the double infraction is not punishable with a card.
32.00: Rory Arnold tries his running back dive over the melee, but he’s hit backwards. Yet again, after multiple infringements by Matt Philip, the Rebels are under the pump.
33.00: YELLOW CARD! Adam Coleman is off. Billy Meakes made some big hits, but his side is in trouble. The Brumbies do go to their driving maul.
33.00: TRY! Folau Fainga’a flops over for his fourth try in as many matches becoming the first Brumbies forward to score four tries in four consecutive games. He joins Roff, Walker and a host of other Brumbies’ backs with that stat. 3-12
35.00: MISS! The conversion is wide. 3-12
38.00: The Brumbies steal the Rebels’ lineout throw and also win the penalty. Genia is apoplectic. He is giving his forwards gears for another botched lineout as well as attacking chance.
41.00: Brumbies win another penalty at the lineout. The Rebels are in trouble. Brumbies kick to the corner.
42.00: PENALTY TRY and YELLOW CARD! Fainga’a was about to score but Gibbon latched onto the ball-carrier from the side. Mr Jacobs awards the penalty try and sends the prop, who has had a torrid time in the front row, to the bin to join Philip. 3-19
The halftime score was Rebels 3 Brumbies 19
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway at AAMI Park.
42.00: TRY! Cooper’s poor restart doesn’t matter. The Rebels – who must have got the riot act from coach Dave Wessels – come out firing, scoring through their big wing and try-scorer extraordinaire Koroibete.
43.00: MISS! Cooper misses from out wide.
45.00: It’s been a good start for the hosts; they really needed a fast start and some points because their forwards are getting dominated in every facet and they only had six on the field when they scored.
47.00: Speight knocks on from Powell’s pass. There’s been a bit of a momentum shift since the interval.
48.00: TIGHTHEAD! The Brumbies win one against the head. Jeez, they needed that. Lealiifano launches the counter-attack before referee Jacobs kills a move by getting in the way. To add insult to injury, Mr Jacobs awards the Rebels a penalty.
50.00: Koroibete is a one-man wrecking ball. The flyer slipped two tackles and charged up the field before breaking another tackle, however, he throws another miracle ball and the good work is undone.
51.00: BIG SCRUM by the hosts, winning another penalty. Cooper won’t kick because the Rebels opt for another scrum.
52.00: TRY! Dane Haylett-Petty takes the ball up to the gain line, beats Lealiifano and drives Powell and Tom Wright backwards. The ball is recycled quickly, Cooper sees Maddocks, alone on the wing, and sends him away with a classic flat pass. 13-19
54.00: CONVERSION! Cooper adds the extras. 15-19
56.00: The Brumbies have some good field position after a rare second-half penalty. Adam Coleman and Ross Haylett-Petty saves the Rebels by deciding that Rob Valetini lost the ball forward. The replay looks inconclusive and the flanker may have scored, but the ref will not go to the TMO, instead, awarding the Rebels a scrum.
59.00: Melbourne is under the pump for the first time this half. The visitors are gaining momentum and need some points if they are to stop the rot.
60.00: TRY! Pete Samu bulldozes his way over Cooper but is tackled short. The ball is recycled and shifted to Valetini, who crosses for the Brumbies. He got his try. 15-24
62.00: CONVERSION! Lealiifano adds the extras. 15-26
63.00: The Rebels power over the line from a driving maul, but they are held up by some sterling work by the opposition.
65.00: TRY! Genia catches the Brumbies napping. The wiley old dog takes the quick-tap penalty and darts underneath the sticks from close range, beating Lealiifano’s tackle for his 20th Super Rugby try. 20-26
66.00: CONVERSION! Cooper reduces the deficit. 22-26
68.00: Genia wins another penalty by throwing the ball into a lazy defender. Rebels go to the lineout.
69.00: Genia breaks again; he’s everywhere and taking this game by the scruff of the neck. Cooper is stopped short, Haylett-Petty, too. Mr Jacobs calls it “held-up” and goes back for the penalty.
70.00: TRY! Maddocks dives over in the corner, unopposed after another long pass from Genia. He must love playing outside Cooper and Genia. 27-26
72.00: CONVERSION! Cooper’s kick is in-off the up-right. 29-26
75.00: Time is running out for the visitors, who seem to have run out of gas.
76.00: The next infringement will be a card against the Brumbies. They are under the pump.
79.00: Another penalty to the Rebels. They opt for the scrum instead of the points; they want to take away a losing bonus-point that the Brumbies will take if the scoreline stays the same.
81.00: The hooter goes, Genia gets the ball and clears to touch.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Rebels 29 (3) Brumbies 26 (19)
Scorers
Rebels
Tries – Koroibete, Maddocks (2), Genia
Pen – Cooper
Con – Cooper (3)
Drop –
Cards – Coleman (Yellow, 33′), Gibbon (Yellow, 42′)
Brumbies
Tries – Speight, Fainga’a, Penalty try, Valetini
Pen –
Con – Lealiifano (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant Ref 1: Glen Jackson
Assistant Ref 2: Graham Cooper
TMO: Ian Smith
Teams
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Tom English, 12 Billy Meakes, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Brad Wilkin, 6 Rob Leota, 5 Matt Philip, 4 Adam Coleman, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Robbie Abel, 1 Matt Gibbon.
Replacements: 16 Anaru Rangi, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Jermaine Ainsley, 19 Luke Jones, 20 Ross Haylett-Petty, 21 Richard Hardwick, 22 Michael Ruru, 23 Reece Hodge.
Brumbies: 15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Tom Wright, 11 Andy Muirhead, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Tom Cusack, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 James Slipper, 18 Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 19 Murray Douglas, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Wharenui Hawera, 23 Chance Peni.
