Rebels keep hapless Reds winless
In a game of ebb and flow the Rebels eventually won 25-23 – with six Jack Debreczeni penalties proving to be the difference.
The Rebels started off well enough and soon held a 16-0 lead, before the Reds eventually found their rhythm and closed the gap to just 10-16 at the half-time break.
After that it became an arm-wrestle – with the Rebels struggling to get back into that dominant, free-flowing game that served them so well in the first half-hour.
The Reds, although a much improved team from what they produced in the early stages, still made far too many unforced errors and penalties – which allowed the Rebels to hold on for the win.
Debreczeni kicked six penalty goals and a conversion as the Rebels staved off a late charge from a Reds team reduced to 14 men in the final 10 minutes – to win their second game of the season and their first at home.
The Reds fought back from 0-16 down after 35 minutes in their first match under the new coaching regime of Matt O'Connor and Nick Stiles following the sacking of head coach Richard Graham during the week.
The Reds looked set to pull off a spirited win when Jake McIntyre kicked them to a 23-22 lead with 13 minutes remaining – only to lose centre Anthony Fainga'a to the sin bin for the final seven minutes of the game.
Debreczeni kicked the Rebels back to the front with 11 minutes left, but the home side had to defend desperately as the undermanned Reds fought back through multiple phases inside Melbourne's quarter before time ran out.
The Reds scored two tries to one with McIntyre landing three penalties and two conversions.
Fullback Jonah Placid scored off a grubber kick by scrum-half Ben Meehan in the 14th minute but Queensland scored twice through scrumhalf Nick Frisby and hooker Andrew Ready.
"The Reds were out to smash us and put us on the back foot and we put in a real gutsy effort. I couldn't be more proud of them," Rebels skipper Sean McMahon said.
The Reds skipper Rob Simmons said ill-discipline had cost his side.
"We knew we were right in it right through the whole game and it was just our discipline that let us down from the start to finish," Simmons said.
"But I'm really proud of the guys but that's the start and we have to get better again."
The Rebels, who only arrived back this week from South Africa, are off to Tokyo to play the Sunwolves next week.
Man of the match: Jake Schatz and Rob Simmons were the steadying influence in a Reds pack that worked its way back into a game that almost got away from them. Nick Frisby is beginning to settle down nicely as the Reds' starting scrumhalf. Curtis Browning showed the impact players can make off the bench with a couple of crucial turnovers and some powerful bursts with ball in hand. The Reds' scrum came back at the Rebels pack in a big way and won crucial moments in the second half. The Rebels' loose forwards – Adam Thomson, captain Sean McMahon (especially) and Jordy Reid – were all over the place and very influential. Young Sione Tuipolotu, who had not yet turned 19 and only came in as a late replacement on matchday, had a satisfactory debut in the midfield. Jonah Placid, although not flawless, was the rock in the last line of defence. However, our award goes to Rebels flyhalf Jack Debreczeni, who with his boot kept the Rebels in the lead for long periods and eventually won them the match.
The scorers:
For the Melbourne Rebels:
Try: Placid
Con: Debreczeni
Pens: Debreczeni 6
For the Reds:
Tries: Frisby, Ready
Cons: McIntyre 2
Pens: McIntyre 3
Yellow card: Anthony Fainga'a (Reds, 73 – repeated infringements, slowing down the ball illegally)
Teams:
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Jonah Placid, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Sione Tuipolotu, 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 Steve Cummins, 21 Mick Snowden, 22 Dan Hawkins, 23 Kotaro Matsushima.
Reds: 15 Karmichael Hunt, 14 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Anthony Fainga'a, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 Nick Frisby, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Waita Setu, 6 Hendrik Tui, 5 Rob Simmons (captain), 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Andrew Ready, 1 Sef Fa'agase.
Replacements: 16 Matt Mafi, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Ben Matwijow, 20 Curtis Browning, 21 Scott Gale, 22 Sam Greene, 23 Ayumu Goromaru.
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Graham Cooper (Australia), Ed Martin (Australia)
TMO: Peter Marshall (Australia)
@rugby365com & AFP
