Rebels hang on for historic win

Both teams scored two tries in a physical match, but it was the team from Melbourne who did just enough to walk away with the four points.

The visitors led 21-3 at half-time, but were unable to add to their tally in the second half. However, some stern defence in the final third helped them survive a Waratahs' comeback.

The Rebels were first on the board in just the third minute of the game when flyhalf Jack Debreczeni slotted a penalty to give his team a 3-0 lead.

The home team started to have more of the ball and dominated territory for the next ten minutes and were rewarded when Bernard Foley levelled the scores with a penalty of his own.

With a vast amount of possession the Tahs were starting to find little holes in the Rebels defence, but the team from Melbourne were scrambling well to keep them at bay.   

Despite lagging in the possession stakes, it was the Rebels who got the game's first try when Debreczeni dived over for a score after sustained pressure inside the Tahs' 22. 

The Rebels then went further in front a few minutes later when big lock Lopeti Timani crashed through the Waratahs' defence to send prop Toby Smith away for a try. Debreczeni converted and the Rebels had a 12-point lead after 25 minutes.

The Waratahs were then dealt a further blow on the half hour mark when fullback Israel Folau was yellow carded for cynical play after playing the ball on the ground just outside the home team's 22. From the resulting penalty, the Rebels went further in front when Debreczeni sent the ball through the uprights for a score of 18-3.  

Foley had a chance to reduce the deficit two minutes before half-time, but his penalty went well wide. Instead it was the Rebels who stretched their lead before the hooter sounded when Debreczeni added another three points. At the break it was 21-3 to the Rebels.

The Rebels continued where they left off in the first half and nearly extended their lead five minutes into the second half when wing Cam Crawford was tackled into touch before he could get the ball down over the Waratahs' tryline . 

It was the home side who would eventually get the first points of the half after flank Jack Dempsey scored his first try in Super Rugby when he crashed over in the 52nd minute. Foley converted to reduce the deficit to 11 points.

The Waratahs continued to get more of the ball in the second half, but had to wait until the 70th minutes to score their next try. After a sustained attack in the Rebels half, Foley sent a crosskick to Reece Robinson who gathered and then past on the inside to centre Matt Carraro who cantered in for his team's second try. Foley converted and home side were just four points behind with less than ten minutes to go. 

The home side tried desperately to get another try in the final minutes, but it was not to be as the Rebels held on for a historic win.

Man of the match: There were few contenders on the side of the Rebels. Their two locks, Lopeti Timani and Luke Jones, played their best games of the season in open play, while flyhalf Jack Debreczeni controlled the flow game of the game nicely. However, our award goes to Jordy Reid for his work rate in defence and on attack.

The scorers:

For Waratahs:

Tries: Dempsey, Carraro

Cons: Foley 2

Pen: Foley

For Rebels:

Tries: Debreczeni, Smith

Con: Debreczeni

Pens: Debreczeni 3

Yellow card: Israel Folau (Waratahs, 30' - cynical play, playing the ball on the ground)

Teams:

Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Reece Robinson, 13 Matt Carraro, 12 David Horwitz, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Jed Holloway, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Jack Dempsey, 5 David Dennis, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Angus Ta'avao, 2 Hugh Roach, 1 Benn Robinson.

Replacements: 16 James Hilterbrand, 17 Paddy Ryan, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Sam Lousi, 21 Wycliff Palu, 22 Matt Lucas, 23 Andrew Kellaway.

Rebels: 15 Reece Hodge, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Cam Crawford, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Nic Stirzaker (captain), 8 Adam Thomson, 7 Sean McMahon, 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 Ben Meehan, 22 Dan Hawkins, 23 Sera Naivalu.

Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)

Assistant referees: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia), Michael Hogan (Australia)

TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)