The Rebels beat the Brumbies 33-10 at AAMI Park, Melbourne, securing their third Super Rugby bonus-point win on the trot and a record win over the ACT club.
Reece Hodge grabbed a brace and kicked four conversions, becoming the third Melbourne player to pass 200 Super Rugby points.
Amanaki Mafi, Jack Maddocks and Michael Ruru also got on the scoresheet as the home team continued their unbeaten start to the season.
The Rebels won once last season, they now have three bonus-point victories in 2018 – what a turnaround.
Three unanswered tries in seven minutes in the final quarter of the game settled the Australian derby as a contest.
What a difference the off-season makes.
The Rebels gave away five penalties and had Jordan Uelese sent to the sin-bin for multiple infringements in the red-zone.
The Brumbies took an early 5-0 lead through Chane Peni.
The winger took Christian Lealiifano’s long pass, stepped Dane Haylett-Petty before beating Tom English and Hodge to the corner.
The game continued to be all Brumbies, who should have scored again from another driving maul, but their overeagerness to use the ball resulted in a knock-on.
On the half-hour, Mafi picked up from the base of the scrum to get his side on the board.
The No 8 powered by Lachlan McCaffrey and Lealiifano before placing the ball at the base of the right-hand post.
Four minutes’ later, Joe Powell had his kick charged down and several phases later, Hodge was in for his first try of the night.
Hodge made no mistake with the conversions and the Rebels had a 14-5 half-time lead.
False dawn for the Brumbies after the break.
The visitors came out firing at the start of the second period, but some poor handling was costing them points.
Eventually, the pressure told when Henry Speight scored his sixth try against the Rebels to reduce the deficit to four.
The winger’s spin-move saw him slip a tackle before crashing over the whitewash.
This might have been the start of another famous Brumbies’ comeback, instead, it was the best it would get for the away team.
The home team put on the afterburners.
Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin was yellow carded, starting the seven minutes of madness.
Hodge converted his second try before Mafi’s audacious no-look out-the-back-door pass put Maddocks away.
Richard Hardwick broke from deep in his own half, raced passed halfway before giving a well-timed pass to the supporting Ruru, who raced away, capping off a superb team display in Melbourne.
Hodge missed the conversion, but the rout was complete.
Final score: Rebels 33 (14) Brumbies 10 (5)
Scorers
Rebels
Tries – Mafi, Hodge (2), Maddocks, Ruru
Pen –
Con – Hodge (4)
Drop –
Cards – Uelese (Yellow, 9′)
Brumbies
Tries – Peni, Speight
Pen –
Con –
Drop –
Cards – Leuluaialii-Makin (Yellow, 62′)
Match Officials
Referee: William Houston
Assistant Ref 1: Graham Cooper
Assistant Ref 2: James Leckie
TMO: Ian Smith
Teams
15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Tom English (captain), 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Sefa Naivalu, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Will Genia, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Angus Cottrell, 6 Lopeti Timani, 5 Ross Haylett-Petty, 4 Matt Philip, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Jordan Uelese, 1 Tetera Faulkner
Replacements: 16 Anaru Rangi, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Colby Fainga’a, 20 Richard Hardwick, 21 Michael Ruru, 22 Billy Meakes, 23 Marika Koroibete
Brumbies
15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Chance Peni, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Lolo Fakaosilea, 6 Lachlan McCaffrey, 5 Sam Carter (captain), 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Mann-Rea, 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Folau Fainga’a, 17 Faalelei Sione, 18 Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 19 Richie Arnold, 20 Tom Cusack, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Wharenui Hawera, 23 Andy Muirhead
