The Rebels will look back with regret on some poor defensive work as they failed to win for the first time in three matches, on their return from a bye.
Despite the result, the game was significant for captain for the night, Gareth Delve, the first non-Australian skipper of an Australian Super Rugby side. He was ably supported by vice-captain, Danny Cipriani, in an all-European leadership team in front of 18,739 at the Stockade.
The Rebels, desperate to impose themselves on the contest early and avoid their worrisome poor starts, hit the breakdowns hard from the off. With Michael Lipman and Greg Somerville in typically robust form, the home side laid down a marker to the powerful Highlanders pack. All Black playmaker, Colin Slade, was an early victim of the aggressive contest, leaving the field suffering from a knock to his jaw.
An early Cipriani penalty edged the Rebels in front and after missing a more straightforward kick to level proceedings, Robbie Robinson (4 from 11 on the night) did not pass up a second opportunity.
As the half wore on, the Highlanders forwards began to assert themselves and their consistent pressure told with a three-try blitz before the interval.
Flanker, Adam Thomson, scored the first, emerging from the bottom of an almighty melee with his hand on the ball and the ball on the whitewash. The TMO gave the Highlanders the benefit of the doubt their powerful catch and drive from a five-metre lineout deserved. The try was Thomson’s fifth of a productive season for the back-rower.
Thomson’s back-row partner, Alando Soakai, scored the second but his touchdown owed much to an 80-metre burst from Ben Smith. The fullback’s scorching run towards the Rebels’ posts created a multiple overlap on the right wing and it was Soakai who had the honour of running the ball home.
Despite being two-tries up so close to halftime, the red tidal-wave crashed unrelentingly onto the Rebels defensive line. It was little surprise that this pressure created another score on the stroke of the interval. From a lineout on the left wing, the New Zealanders sprayed the ball across the field with Siale Piutau forcing his way over in the right corner.
Robinson converted two of the three tries, while during this spell Cipriani responded with a penalty, to send the Highlanders in front at the break 22-6.
The second-half began just as the first ended, with a Piutau try. The Highlanders winger preyed on a series of missed tackles to snipe in towards the right corner. Kade Poki followed in with the visitor’s fifth after 51 minutes, again escaping some loose Rebels defence.
Robinson failed to convert either try and at 32-6 down with half-an-hour remaining, the Rebels had not given up hope of a trademark comeback. Bursts from Cooper Vuna and Lachlan Mitchell energised the Rebel Army but it was Hugh Pyle who earned the loudest cheers of the night, scoring the Rebels’ first try with fifteen minutes remaining. The big lock, who extended his contract with the club this week, fed off good work from Nick Phipps and Mark Gerrard to give the home side hope.
Any hopes of the Rebels clawing their way back into the contest were snuffed out minutes later. First, Robinson kicked a penalty off the post before Adam Thomson scored his second for the night. The flanker picked the ball up inside his own half and sprinted like a winger along the right touchline. A despairing Cipriani tackle could not halt the barnstorming run as Thomson reinforced his pre-match reputation as the New Zealander’s dangerman.
There was still time for Greg Somerville to crash over, and Cipriani to convert, to reduce the final deficit but the late rally could not deny the Highlanders a deserved victory.
Melbourne Rebels
1. Rodney Blake, 2. Ged Robinson, 3. Greg Somerville, 4. Alister Campbell, 5. Hugh Pyle, 6. Jarrod Saffy, 7. Michael Lipman, 8. Gareth Delve (c), 9. Nick Phipps, 10. Danny Cipriani (vc), 11. Cooper Vuna, 12. James Hilgendorf, 13. Mark Gerrard, 14. Lachlan Mitchell, 15. Richard Kingi
Reserves: 16. Heath Tessmann, 17. Laurie Weeks, 18. Adam Byrnes, 19. Tim Davidson, 20. Hoani Macdonald, 21. Luke Rooney, 22. Afusipa Taumoepeau
Head Coach: Rod Macqueen
Highlanders
1. Jamie Mackintosh (c), 2. Jason Rutledge, 3. Chris King, 4. Jarrad Hoeata, 5. Josh Bekhuis, 6. Adam Thomson, 7. Alando Soakai, 8. Nasi Manu, 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Colin Slade, 11. Siale Piutau, 12. Shaun Treeby, 13. Kendrick Lynn, 14. Kade Poki, 15. Ben Smith
Reserves: 16. Brayden Mitchell, 17. David Te Moana, 18. Tom Donnelly, 19. Nick Crosswell, 20. Jimmy Cowan, 21. Robbie Robinson, 22. James Paterson
Head Coach: Jamie Joseph
Full Match report thanks to the Rebels Media Unit
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