The Melbourne Rebels beat the Hurricanes 42 – 25 at home in their Super Rugby encounter on Friday after trailing the New Zealand team 0 – 17 after 24 minutes!

The Hurricanes started off with elan, blowing Rebels into the Tasman Sea. The Rebels were nervous, hesitant and feeble, really, as they missed tackles and looked apologetic. Then it was all-change as the Rebels grew in heads-up, chest-out confidence and the Hurricanes fizzled out. The moment of change, it seems, was Rodney Blake’s try on 24 minutes.

Till then the Hurricanes, wearing grey, led 17-0 and were having an easy time of it. After 17 minutes they led 17-0 with three tries. It took them another hour to get their fourth try and a bonus point, which their captain Andrew Hore afterwards recognised as a lucky point.

Each side had an early overlap – Gareth Delve on the right for the Rebels and Julian Savea on the tight for the Hurricanes, the more promising of the two but kiboshed by a knock-on by Cory Jane, a great player who had an awful evening in Melbourne’s Stockade.

Richard Kingi, unusually playing fullback, tried to run the ball from his own line and when he was caught Conrad Smith picked up and gave to Jason Eaton who pounded towards the line and then played inside to Chris Eaton who scored. 5-0 after 6 minutes.

The Rebels carried on missing tackles and this time it was strong Victor Vito who handed off Lachlan Mitchell to run through for a try. 10-0 after 12 minutes as again Daniel Kirkpatrick missed.

But Kirkpatrick was next to score as Ma’a Nonu, in his best moment in the match, scooped up a dropped ball with his left hand, charged ahead and eventually Kirkpatrick dummied, Al Campbell missed him, and the flyhalf scored under the posts. 17-0 after 17 minutes.

It was all one-way traffic. The Rebels seemed to be heading for an even bigger hiding than the one the Reds had given them the week before, as Conrad Smith broke sharply and the Hurricanes seemed settled in charge.

But then the Rebels got an attack going with pick-’n-drive and Ged Robinson was close and then massive Rodney Blake managed to force his way to the line. Cipriani converted. 17-7 after 24 minutes and it was the Rebels turn to blow the Hurricanes away.

Kirkpatrick kicked a penalty but then hooker Robinson kicked a perfect grubber down on the left where Savea was forced to run the ball into touch, conceding a five-metre line-out. The Force caught, mauled and scored as Campbell twisted his way over. 20-12 after 32 minutes.

Their third try started innocently enough. From a free kick at a scrum, Cipriani hoisted high, Andre Taylor let it bounce and big Luke Rooney got possession on the Rebels’ right. They went left and Cipriani kicked a long, high diagonal to the left. Jane got to the ball first and knocked it into the field of play. Mitchell got the ball, darted ahead and was close and then Stirling Mortlock gave to Michael Lipman who stretched out a long arm to score. 20-17 after 38 minutes and two minutes later Hore was penalised at a tackle and Cipriani kicked half the length of the field to make it 20-all at the break.

That in itself seemed a dream situation. The dream would turn into reality for the Rebels but a nightmare for the Hurricanes.

The Rebels started with zest in the second half. Play went on for two and a half minutes before the first stoppage which came when Kingi was close to the Hurricanes’ line. But soon the Rebels took the lead when Jack Lam was penalised at a tackle and Cipriani goaled. 23-20 to the Rebels after 44 minutes. After this Cipriani missed two penalty kicks but, nice though it would have been to have goaled them, his boot was not needed.

The Rebels went through many phases, advancing near and wide. Mitchell was close and Jarrod Saffy held up over the line by Vito. From the subsequent scrum Mortlock was tackled at the posts and then Campbell forced his way over for his second try. 30-20 after 48 minutes.

Nick Phipps danced and sped away to set up an attack that ended with Cooper Vuna running through Jane and over the line as Nonu jumped on him. 35-20 after 51 minutes. That was a bonus point for four tries.

The Hurricanes were not entirely cowed as Taylor had a good run and Jane was close but again the Rebels scored. Vuna beat Savea on the outside and Phipps raced over for the try, which Cipriani converted. Incredible to say, the Rebels led 42-20 with 21 minutes to play. They had scored 30 points in 21 minutes.

In substitution time the Hurricanes had some phases and Smith was close till hooker replacement Dane Coles scored  with four minutes to play. That try gave the Hurricanes a bonus point for four tries.

The Hurricanes attacked but Taylor was tackled out. They had the ball but Jane knocked on, which was somehow symbolic of the Hurricanes’ performance.

Man of the Match: In the end you could have picked any Rebel but our choice is hooker GedRobinson who believed when all around him were doubting and created opportunities and spirit for his side.

The scorers:

For the Rebels:
Tries: Blake, Campbell 2, Lipman, Vuna, Phipps
Cons: Cipriani 3
Pens: Cipriani 2

For the Hurricanes:
Tries: C Eaton, Vito, Kirkpatrick, Coles
Con: Kirkpatrick
Pen: Kirkpatrick

Teams:

Rebels: 15 Richard Kingi, 14 Luke Rooney, 13 Lachlan Mitchell, 12 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Gareth Delve, 7 Michael Lipman, 6 Jarrod Saffy, 5 Hugh Pyle,  4 Alister Campbell, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Ged Robinson,  1 Rodney Blake.
Replacements: 16 Luke Holmes, 17 Laurie Weeks, 18 Adam Byrnes, 19 Tim Davidson, 20 JP du Plessis, 21 Peter Betham, 22 Afusipa Taumoepeau.

Hurricanes: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Andre Taylor, 10 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 9 Chris Eaton, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore (captain), 1 John Schwalger.
Replacements: 16  Dane Coles, 17 Anthony Perenise, 18 James Broadhurst, 19 Serge Lilo, 20 Tyson Keats, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Jayden Hayward.

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referee: Nathan Pearce (Australia), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)

Source + Pic: rugby365.com