The Rebels ran and sweat but fell short in the rain to the Brumbies who had a more organised game plan and better discipline.
The Match
It was a tale of two halves, as the infamous Melbourne weather transformed a warm Australian summer night in a cold wet English one.
After a relatively sleepy first half marked by Rebels’ indiscipline, the hosts had more possession and territory, but not the points on the scoreboard; the only light of the first half was Kuridrani’s try.
After the break the players struggled to control the ball in the wet and windy conditions and to kick it straight, but the game opened up with plenty of action and grit from both teams.
Tevita Kuridrani – ran a great line to score first try
First Half
Mike Harris missed a penalty shot at goal for the Rebels from 45 metres out, but Christian Leali’ifano was successful for the Brumbies in the 13th minute.
After Harris kicked a penalty, the Brumbies scored the first try of the match when Tevita Kuridrani ran a great inside line after a flat pass from Jarrad Butler following a five-meter lineout. The crowd was unhappy about referee Steve Walsh not calling a forward pass but when the try was converted the Brumbes led 10-3 after 23 minutes.
The crowd got more agitated when a Rebels’ “try” from Tom English was rightly called back for knock-on on the half-way line.
Leali’ifano, back in good goal kicking form this year punished the bad discipline of the Rebels when he goaled his second penalty from an easy position.
Luke Jones excited the Rebels’ crowd when they thought he had celebrated his 50th cap with a try, but he was held up over the line by the stingy Brumbies defence.
Despite ample possession and territory the hosts had to settle for a Harris penalty just before the break after the Brumbies wheeled the scrum illegally.
It was an ordinary game of footy from the two teams in first half with messy scrums: almost every one ending in a sanction. The 17 penalties from both teams in the half could not make up for some sweeping moves and crunching tackles. The shining light was the Brumbies’ invention of the Kuridrani try.
Half-time score Rebels 6 – Brumbies 13
Wet weather in the second half
Second half
The predicted cool change arrived at the interval and the strong southerly winds and pouring rain forced the spectators to retreat to the higher rows of the stadium.
Ten minutes into the second half the Rebels fought their way into the Brumbies” 22. Fearing the wind they elected to take a scrum when awarded a penalty but a dropped ball by skipper Higginbotham could have cost them three points.
However, at 16 minutes into the half Harris was directed to kick at goal and he slotted it to reduce the deficit to four points.
At the 58th minute Higginbotham was sent to the bin for collapsing a Brumbies’ maul. The co-captain should have know better because Walsh had warned the Rebels in the first half. The Brumbies smelled blood and went for a line-out drive which they converted into a Jarrad Butler try. When the extras were added the score was 20-9 to the Brumbies on the hour mark.
After an Harris penalty bringing the score to 20-12 the game looked over when the Brumbies tried another maul drive from five metres out following the eleventh penalty from the hosts. Butler seemed to score again but the player had lost the ball forward and play restarted with a “scrum-five” for the Rebels.
The episode was a wake-up call for the hosts and they started running the ball with open play. Despite the slippery pill they were able to put pressure on the visitor’s back line which was chock-full of Wallabies.
With four minutes remaining Sam Carter got yellow-carded for being off side on the 22 meter line and Harris slotted his fifth penalty of the match to reduce the deficit to five points.
The Brumbies, one man down, tried to kill off the match with a penalty from their own half, but Nic White missed the uprights. This gave way to an exciting finale where the Brumbies held on despite desperate attacks of the Rebels.
Final score: Rebels 15 – Brumbies 20
Wallaby watch on Lopeti Timani
The Wrap Up
The Rebels come up short again and lost their second home game of their 2015 campaign mostly because of their own shortcomings. Tony McGahan needs to improve the poor discipline which cost them the game.
The Brumbies on the other hand can be happy with the result and for being able to withstand the last efforts from the hosts. They won ugly and have to thank the scoreboard advantage in the final minutes that forced the Rebels to score a try
The Interviews
At the end of the match the contrasting moods in the two camps was as expected. The winning coach, Larkham, was ready to praise his team for holding on with guts and courage in the final moments of the game. McGahan was keen to look at the positives from the constantly improving Rebels.
[one_half last=”no”]
McGahan
“Frustrated for not having enough points on the scoreboard, but I’m very proud of the efforts of the boys. It was a tough contest against a very strong side. We are not far off but we need more composure and better execution. We still have a lot of work to do.”
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Larkham
“Really tough: the Rebels are a step up from the team we played last year. We had a very tight game last week against the Chiefs and this week the guys never gave up, and this is fantastic. It’s very important to have Leali’ifano back kicking goals; it gives the players much more confidence.”
[/one_half]
Jack Debreczini – promising Rebel flyhalf
[one_third last=”no”]
The Game Changer
The game tipped towards the Brumbies when Scott Higginbotham got yellow carded at the 58th minute for collapsing the maul. This led to the second try for the visitors which created a margin of safety.
It forced the Rebels to score a try in their last attacks instead of settling for an easy kick. This gave the visitors enough breathing space to hold on in the last few minutes.
[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]
The G&GR MOTM
Jones and McMahon impressed for the Rebels as well as Harris who scored all the points for the home team. Lock Arnold and flanker Fardy were notable in the Brumbies’ pack as was White, Leali’ifano and Toomua in the backs.
But our MOTM award to Jarrad Butler, for his fine all-round display and his second half try that forced the Rebels to go for a five-pointer to win.
[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]
Wallaby watch
Michael Cheika would have have taken plenty of notes. Leali’ifano proved he was back on track with the boot and the all-Wallaby Brumbies’ front row (Moore, Alexander and Sio), was impressive, as was Carter in the second row. Jones and McMahon of the Rebels were notable for their several carries and line breaks. Possible prospects for a Wallabies call-up may be the red hot lock Lopeti Timani or Colby Fainga’a.
[/one_third]
The Details
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]
Rebels 15 (6)
Penalties: M. Harris (16, 39, 55, 63, 76)
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Brumbies 20 (13)
Tries: T. Kuridrani (22), J. Butler (59)
Conversions: C. Leali’ifano 2/2
Penalties: C. Leali’ifano (13, 31)
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”no”]
Cards & citings
Yellow cards:
S. Higginbotham – Rebels (58)
S. Carter – Brumbies (75)
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Crowd
9,071
[/one_half]
