Historic golden-point extra-time fails to separate the Rebels and the Reds
The Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels have played out an 18-18 draw in professional rugby’s historic first golden-point extra-time finish in the new Super Rugby AU tournament.
A last-minute try to Reds replacement Alex Mafi, followed by James O’Connor’s coolly slotted conversion after the Super Rugby siren, forced the all-Australian contest into overtime on Friday night.
Fittingly, Sydney’s Brookvale Oval, Manly’s NRL base, was the setting for the very rugby league-like scoreline after Victoria’s second wave of coronavirus forced Melbourne’s “home” match to be played interstate.
But the two sides were booed off the park by sections of the crowd after neither was able to nail victory. Reds full-back Bryce Hegarty narrowly missed a monster penalty goal effort from halfway on the stroke of ‘super time’ half-time.
Despite not bagging the full points, the draw eased the pressure somewhat on under-fire Rebels coach Dave Wessels.
Shots fired 🔥 Morgan Turinui suggested Wessels "is not the answer" to the Rebels' succeeding. pic.twitter.com/qUdCdM5HzM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 9, 2020
Former Wallaby and ex-Melbourne attack coach Morgan Turinui claimed during the week the South African was no longer the man to guide the Rebels following a lacklustre loss to the Brumbies in last week’s competition opener.
Wessels had every reason to think his Rebels had done enough to secure victory over the Reds when they led by ten points with five minutes remaining following an intercept try to Billy Meakes.
But an O’Connor penalty goal in the 75th minute – after he had thrown the errant pass to Meakes – and Alex Mafi’s last-gasp strike proved a killer for the Rebels.
The exciting finish was in stark contrast to a dour first half played in mostly driving rain. The Rebels opened the scoring with a penalty to five-eighth Matt Toomua in the eighth minute.
Bizarrely, given the wet conditions, the Rebels turned down another gift three points shortly after, declining a shot from in front of the posts only for Toomua to then attempt a long-range field goal from a returning lineout a minute later. They still went to the break with a 6-0 lead after Toomua landed a second penalty.
Wallabies and Reds legend John Eales was in the house and he finally had something to cheer about when O’Connor put Filipo Daugunu over in the left corner with a lovely long ball to the winger. O’Connor then gave the Reds the lead for the first time with a 42-metre penalty.
It didn’t last long, though, with Wallabies star Reece Hodge, after surprisingly starting on the bench, sliding over for the Rebels’ second try in the 55th minute.
REBELS 18 (Reece Hodge, Bill Meakes tries, Matt To’omua con 2 pens)
QUEENSLAND REDS 18 (Filipo Daugunu, Alex Mafi tries, James O’Connor con 2 pens)
The trans-Tasman plot thickens https://t.co/sa42t14IQU
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 9, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments