Highlanders see off plucky Rebels

Kicking and tackling beat the Rebels, who had a better second half when they kicked less but they still could not get past the Highlanders' fast defence.

The difference in the kicking was clear for all to see. The Highlanders kick more than any other side in Super Rugby and they do it better. If they are not kicking for touch, they kick to regain the ball, and here Aaron Smith is a master. The Rebels' kicking on the other hand was too long when it did not go into touch it went into Highlanders' hands - just a transfer of possession.

The Highlanders speed and efficiency in tackling meant that the Rebels seldom made any advance. They had three sessions of many phases - 41 phases in all - for no  real gain.

The Highlanders simply did all ordinary things extraordinarily well.

And that included the scrumming on the stadium's fragile turf. Every time the medics came onto the field to see to damaged players, so did the gardeners to see to damaged turf, getting divots back into place.

The Rebels put the ball into 13 scrums but only twice did the ball go in and come straight out. In all on their ball there were 12 collapses, 11 resets, three penalties and a free kick. The Highlanders put the ball into seven scrums and seven times it came straight out.

The Highlanders won every one of their ten line-outs. The Rebels lost one and threw in skew twice in their 11 throws. The penal;ty count was 11-7 against the Rebels.

The Highlanders attacked first through two penalties and an attacking line-out. Then the Rebels had a chance to attack. They had a rickety five-metre scrum but were penalised. Then when the Highlanders won a Rebels lineout, they attacked.

The Rebels had the first chance to score when, after  their 10 phases, the Highlanders were penalised but Jack Debreczeni's long kick failed. But when Lima Sopoaga had a kick from the Rebels' 10-metre line and five metres in from touch, he goaled it. 3-0 after 20 minutes.

Smith kicked a box kick which Jonah Placid, a reluctanbt dealer with high kicks, dropped it. Rob Thompson footed the ball ahead  and then footed it on carefully into the Rebels' in-goal where he fell on the ball for a try. 10-0 after 23 minutes.

The only other score in the half was a Sopoaga penalty when Lopeti Tomaqni was penalised. 13-0 after 32 minutes.

The Rebels had their best passage of first-half play after this when Placid came into the line and put Dom Shipperley away. He passed back inside to Placid who looked set to score but was caught from behind by Patrick Osborne and passed into touch as he went down.

An Osborne grubber was knocked back over his line by Shipperley but the Rebels survived, and the half-time score was 13-0 as the rain started.

The Rebels were first to score in the second half when after 13 Rebel phases Ash Dixon was penalised and Drebreczini goaled. 20-3 affter 50 minutes.

A Sopoaga drop attempt bounced back off the upright and the Highlanders attacked and, after a penalty for a deliberate knock over his dead-ball line by Shipperley - a debatable decision - they kicked out for a five-metre lineout and attacked going wide right where the ball ricocheted off Thompson's shin into the in-goal where Jack Wilson scored. 20-3 after 56 minutes.

The Rebels had a great period on close attack and opted for a scrum when the Highlanders were penalised. Adam Thomson broke away but Ben Meehan could not hold onto his short pass.

The Rebls were attacking on the right when 12 metres out Debreczini passed to his right but Osborne intercepted and ran 88 mertres straight down the field for a try in the left corner, which Sopoaga converted from touch. That was the bonus-point try with 16 minutes to play.

The Rebels were in charge of most of those 16 minutes without really looking like breaching the Highanders' eager defence.

Man of the Match: Aaron Smith who conducted the match till substituted with five minutes or so to play.

Scorers:

For the Rebels:

Pen: Debreczeni

For the Highlanders:

Tries: Thompson, Wilson, Osborne

Cons: Sopoaga 3

Pens: Sopoaga 2

Teams:

Melbourne Rebels: 15 Jonah Placid, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Ben Meehan, 8 Adam Thomson, 7 Sean McMahon (captain), 6 Jordy Reid, 5 Lopeti Timani, 4 Luke Jones, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 James Hanson, 1 Toby Smith.

Replacements: 16 Pat Leafa, 17 Cruze Ah Nau, 18 Jamie Hagan, 19 Sam Jeffries, 20 Scott Fuglistaller, 21 Nic Stirzaker, 22 Dan Hawkins, 23 Reece Hodge.

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Jack Wilson, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Rob Thompson, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Shane Christie (co-captain), 6 Luke Whitelock, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Mark Reddish, 3 Siosuia Halanukonuka, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Brendon Edmonds.

Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Dan Pryor, 20 Elliot Dixon, 21 Josh Renton, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Jason Emery.

Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)

Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Jordan Way (Australia)

Television match official: Peter Marshall (Australia)