Super Rugby: Melbourne Rebels come from behind to beat Brumbies 29-26

The aim was for the Melbourne Rebels to run the Brumbies off their feet and use the fitness advantage coach Dave Wessels said was theirs.

Rebels players Jack Maddocks (left) and Billy Meakes celebrate after Maddocks scored against the Brumbies on Friday night. Picture: AAP

The aim was for the Melbourne Rebels to run the Brumbies off their feet and use the fitness advantage coach Dave Wessels said was theirs.

But the home team had to settle for outlasting the visitors in a stirring come from behind 29-26 victory that will continue to fuel the Melbourne team’s belief they will be going harder than anyone in the 80th minute all year.

Overpowered for most of an ill-disciplined first half, the Rebels found themselves down 26-15 after an hour’s play, which included a period playing with just 13 men.

Two-yellow cards and a 10-3 penalty count against Melbourne plus physical, possession and territory dominance from the Brumbies turned the home team in more rabble than Rebels.

Genia was frustrated as the Brumbies scored three tries to none in the opening 40 minutes, including a penalty try on the buzzer, and the changes Wessels made to his front row looked ill-informed.

Rebels players Jack Maddocks (left) and Billy Meakes celebrate after Maddocks scored against the Brumbies on Friday night. Picture: AAP

“We were sitting back too much, letting them play,” Genia said.

“I probably got a little bit too emotional but we are trying to be competitive.”

The mantra this season at the Rebels has been “harder for longer”. They play the full 80 at full power and so it turned out.

Genia ran as much as he passed, had two line breaks and four tackle busts as he searched and scurried is way through the Brumbies defence.

From scrum bases, with changes off the bench, the home team started to get on top. Genia twice found Quade Cooper who twice floated elegant long passes to first Marika Koroibete and then Jack Maddocks to spur the Rebels on.

Melbourne hit the lead 70 minutes in when Maddocks got his second try, and the sideline conversion from Cooper gave the Rebels the breathing space they needed to control the final few minutes and secure a famous win.

Rebels backrower Isi Naisarani takes on the Brumbies defence on Friday night. Picture: Getty Images

DAM BUSTER

Last week Melbourne wrecking ball Marika Korobiete looked like breaking the game open with his powerful runs, charging in to the opposition, but he couldn’t hold on the football. But straight after half-time he displayed power, persistence and a glorious pirouette to score his team’s first try. A wicked pass from Quade Cooper seemed to travel in slow motion to the winger, who caught it, took the tacklers on head first, and found his way to the line at just the right time for his team.

Rebels halfback Will Genia breaks through the Brumbies defence on Friday night. Picture: Getty Images

UNLEASH THE REECE

ONE of the changes Wessels didn’t make pre-game was to insert Wallaby Reece Hodge back in to the starting lineup. Hodge, the second-leading try scorer in the Rebel’s short history, has been on the bench for the past two weeks, after a pore-season injury, with Billy Meakes preferred. There wasn’t a lot of chances, but Meakes had one run, for a gain of two metres in the first hour of play. Hodge got on with 15 minute left, but didn’t get to touch the ball.

ROAD-TRIPPING

SOUTH Africa is the final frontier for the Rebels and they are on their way there again. The season fell apart last year in Africa and the next two games, against the Lions and Sharks, as an undefeated team, could determine whether Melbourne is the real deal in 2019.

REBELS 29 (Jack Maddocks 2, Will Genia, Marika Koroibete tries Quade Cooper 3 cons pen) BRUMBIES26 (1 penalty try) (Folau Fainga’a, Henry Speight, Rob Valetini tries Christian Leali’ifano 2 cons) at AAMI Park. Referee: AJ Jacobs

Originally published as Super Rugby: Melbourne Rebels come from behind to beat Brumbies 29-26