Fourteen-man Rebels hold on against feeble Force
SUPER RUGBY AU MATCH REPORT: The Melbourne Rebels held on for a narrow win over the Western Force in a bizarre, drama-filled match in Perth on Friday.
Reduced to 14 men for the last 10 minutes - after lock Ross Haylett-Petty was red-carded for a head-high cheap shot - the Rebels outscored their hosts two tries to one in a 10-7 win.
Apart from the onfield drama, the game was halted for a lengthy spell late on as the stadium lights faltered.
Despite being a man up, the Force were their own worst enemies - as they had been throughout the encounter - and failed to secure the win.
The Rebels shot out to a 10-0 lead by the 62nd minute, when a sizzling run from Marika Koroibete set up a try for scrumhalf Joe Powell.
But the game took a turn in the 69th minute when the Force scored a try through substitute Jack McGregor and Rebels lock Ross Haylett-Petty was red-carded for his action in the lead-up.
Haylett-Petty struck Force substitute Tomas Lezana in the head with his shoulder as he went in to tackle.
There was more drama when the lights went out in the 74th minute - just as the two teams were about to pack down for a scrum near the Force's try line - halting the game for 10 minutes.
The Rebels were forced to defend grimly for the rest of the match, and they hung tough under intense pressure - and also won a penalty on the Force's scrum feed in the final minute - to seal their first win of the season.
"I've never been involved in a game where the lights cut out, a red card - what a game," Rebels flyhalf Matt To'omua said.
"Three away games to start the year is tough, so for us to get the win is huge."
The Force were sloppy in the first half, committing a host of errors and losing three key line-outs to hand the Rebels field position time and again in front of 7762 fans.
Force flyhalf Jake McIntyre missed a penalty in the 20th minute and then failed to find touch with a penalty kick four minutes later.
Rebels hooker James Hanson almost scored a try in the 25th minute, only for the ball to squeeze out as he was being tackled over the try line.
But the Rebels were on the board a minute later when they put the Force under the pump for six phases before swinging it wide for wing Lachlan Anderson to cross.
The Force had just 17 percent territory and 28 percent possession in the first half.
McIntyre's kicking woes continued early in the second half when his attempted kick for touch from a penalty sailed over the try line.
Star Force fullback Rob Kearney also failed to find touch with a penalty kick.
The Force was given a reprieve when To'omua hit the post with a tricky penalty kick in the 53rd minute.
But there was no stopping Koroibete's run, which sliced open the Force's defence for Powell to touch down in the corner.
The Force lifted a gear after that, and a series of deft passes in the 69th minute found its way to McGregor to score.
Force captain Ian Prior nailed the conversion from the sideline to close the gap to 7-10.
The scorers
For the Western Force
Try: McGregor
Con: Prior
For the Melbourne Rebels
Tries: Ralston, Powell
Red card: Ross Haylett-Petty (Melbourne Rebels, 69 - foul play, head-high cheap shot)
Teams
Western Force: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Byron Ralston, 13 Tevita Kuridrani. 12 Richard Kahui, 11 Toni Pulu, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Brynard Stander (captain), 7 Kane Koteka, 6 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Ryan McCauley, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Feleti Kaitu’u, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Jack Winchester, 17 Angus Wagner, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Sitaleki Timani, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Henry Taefu, 23 Jack McGregor.
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Tom Pincus, 14 Lachlan Anderson, 13 Stacey Ili, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Matt To’omua (captain), 9 Joe Powell, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Joshua Kemeny, 5 Trevor Hosea, 4 Ross Haylett-Petty, 3 Pone Faamausili, 2 James Hanson, 1 Cabous Eloff.
Replacements: 16 Ed Craig, 17 Isaac Aedo Kailea, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Steve Cummins, 20 Robert Leota, 21 Brad Wilkin/Tom Nowlan, 22 James Tuttle, 23 Frank Lomani/Carter Gordon.
Referee: Graham Cooper
Assistant referees: Reuben Keane, Brett Cronan
TMO: Kyle Burnett