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Rebels see off Western Force in Super Time after heated encounter
Melbourne made no mistake with their second crack at Super Time, edging the Western Force 25-20 in their grudge match at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night. Wallabies No.8 Isi Naisarani, playing his first game in Super Rugby AU following a hamstring injury, scored the match-winning try in the second minute of extra time.
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The Rebels had already had a taste of Super Time, drawing with the Reds in round two with neither side able to score in the 10 minutes.
Melbourne captain Matt Toomua, who was again one of his team’s best, said they were better for their earlier experience at extra time, which was only introduced this season
“We learnt from our mistakes,” Toomua told Fox Sports.
“I thought there was a real pick-up in intensity in that Super Time, it was almost like it woke us up and you saw us get physical.
“If we took a leaf out of that book for the whole game it probably would have been easier but credit to the Force they put us under a lot of pressure and forced a lot of silly penalties that cost us the chance to win in the first 80.”
The last time the teams met in 2017 they were fighting for Super Rugby survival, with the Force winning that match and the Rebels the battle to stay in the competition.
But they again broke Force hearts, leaving them winless after four games.
Force lock Jeremy Thrush, who took over the captaincy following the late withdrawal of halfback Ian Prior, said it was a tough result to swallow.
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“It was there for the taking,” Thrush said.
“That was the story of the night; we put pressure on them and then released it with our exits inside our own half.
“It was pretty gutting to lose like that.”
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Both teams had the chance to break the 20-20 deadlock, with a penalty kick by Force five-eighth Jono Lance going wide before a 60m strike by Rebels fullback Reece Hodge after the full-time hooter fell short.
For a third time in four matches the Force built an early lead, going up 10-0, only to allow their opposition back into the game.
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The match was stalled for more than five minutes early on with Force flanker Tevin Ferris stretchered off with a suspected neck injury after an awkward tackle, leaving his teammates looking rattled.
It was a scrappy first half, with referee Angus Gardner blowing 18 penalties including 11 conceded by the Rebels as well as a yellow card for Naisarani.
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 31, 2020
There was plenty of feeling in the match, with the teams involved in a scuffle midway through the half with Gardner telling the captains: “I understand there’s some history between the two teams so let’s put that down to getting it out of the system”.
The Force looked like they would take the lead into the main break until Hodge managed to nail a penalty from 45m out two minutes after the hooter to level at 10-10.
The teams traded tries and penalties in an upbeat second half, while Thrush was also hit with a yellow card.
Lance levelled the score after 63 minutes but neither side could find the winning points, pushing the game into extra time.
Thrush spilt the ball from the kick-off and Rebels, through Naisarani, rumbled over.
Comments on RugbyPass
Will rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
2 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
2 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
3 Go to comments