CHIEFS 38 REBELS 10
The Melbourne Rebels failed to back up their round two victory, falling 38-10 to the Chiefs at a wet Waikato Stadium. The hosts better handled the greasy conditions as persistent errors pockmarked the Rebels display.
A Gareth Delve try was bettered by four from the Chiefs as the home side’s possession and control ground the Rebels into submission and secured them a bonus point for their efforts.
Much of the Rebels’ difficulties began at the set pieces, with the lineout particularly vulnerable. As with last week, Mark Gerrard’s searching kicks from fullback proved a feature of the game, one swing of the fullback’s boot frequently turning defence into attack. Further forward, Danny Cipriani’s probing grubbers earned good field position, but fragility at the set pieces denied them opportunities to convert promise into points.
Stephen Donald’s penalty gave the Chiefs an early lead, rewarding their superior urgency in the opening exchanges. It was the Rebels, however, who created the first try scoring opportunity but Julian Huxley spilled the wet ball with Cooper Vuna lurking menacingly on the overlap. From that phase of possession play was brought back for an earlier infringement, allowing Danny Cipriani to even the score.
The Rebels failed to convert good field position as they dominated the middle portion of the half, with two stolen lineouts deep in attack hindering progress.
The Chiefs suffered a setback, when, on 19 minutes, captain Mils Muliaina was forced from the field after failing to shrug off an injury suffered in the opening drive of the match.
The loss of the inspirational fullback failed to put the Chiefs off their stride though, as their explosive backline began to stretch the Rebels defence. Donald failed with his second penalty opportunity after the Rebels withstood 10 phases of play before Dwayne Sweeney and Sitiveni Sivivatu both broke through the Rebels defensive line in quick succession.
Donald did put the Chiefs back in front on the half hour mark, with his second penalty, as the Rebels continued to have difficulty retaining possession in opposition territory.
6-3 became 13-3 after 35 minutes as Donald converted Sivivatu’s opening try. The Chief’s domination of the ball began to tell as the half progressed. Half-breaks became line breaks and midfield incursions began to threaten the Rebels’ line. Eventually, from deep in the right corner, play was recycled through the midfield to Sivivatu and the All Black legend turned on the afterburners to touchdown just left of the posts.
Another Donald penalty extended the lead further before halftime as the Chiefs went in 16-3 in front.
The second half began like the first, with a Donald penalty, which was closely followed by the Chief’s second try. Lelia Masaga held off all comers down the right, and despite being tackled just short of the line, had enough momentum to slide over.
A raft of substitutions invigorated the Rebels and the extra energy was rewarded on 58 minutes when vice captain, Gareth Delve, barged his way over from close range. Cipriani’s boot further reduced the deficit as the newcomers threatened to mount a comeback.
Frustratingly, issues at the set piece stunted the growth of an embryonic fight back, which was halted on 66 minutes when Sona Taumalolo crashed over and comprehensively snuffed out on 78 minutes when Masaga brushed off some despairing Rebels defence to slide in the right corner. Masaga’s second was the Chiefs fourth, earning the home side a bonus point.
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