VIDEO:Waratahs edge Rebels to keep play-off hopes alive
SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Waratahs’ Super Rugby season still has a pulse after they stopped the Melbourne Rebels 20-15 in their AAMI Park match on Friday.
The Waratahs needed the win to keep alive their slim hopes of a play-off berth and played accordingly to extend their winning record over the Rebels to six straight.
It meant the Waratahs closed the gap in the Australian conference on the second-placed Rebels to four points with two rounds remaining.
The one bonus point meant the Rebels joined the ladder-leading Brumbies, although the Canberra-based side can extend their lead against the lowly Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday.
The result also harmed Australia’s chances of having two teams qualify for the finals with only the three conference winners plus the next five teams on overall points advancing.
The Rebels had plenty of chances in the final 10 minutes to take the match but let themselves down with sloppy handling, while the Waratahs deserved credit for their tireless defence.
Despite the soggy conditions in Melbourne and both team relying heavily on tactical kicking, it was the outside backs who were in the thick of the action for both teams.
Veteran centre Adam Ashley-Cooper opened the scoring for the Waratahs with a sensational try off a scrum in their own half.
Wing Curtis Rona wrong-footed Rebels fullback Dane Haylett-Petty and got the ball back inside for Bernard Foley, who found the former Wallaby.
Ashley-Cooper also had a hand in one of their second half tries when he managed to fend off Jack Maddocks long enough to fling a ball back inside that bounced up for Rona to score.
For the Rebels, Wallabies flyer Marika Koroibete continued his sizzling form, proving a handful with his hard-hitting runs.
He set up a try for scrumhalf Will Genia in the second half and was unlucky not to score one himself when he charged downfield only to be stopped just short of the tryline by Rona, who was penalised for a shoulder charge.
Melbourne managed to peg back a 3-13 half-time lead to get within three points early in the second stanza with a try by Quade Cooper but that was a close as they got.
CLICK HERE for a recap of the action.
Man of the match: Marika Koroibete was devastating with ball in hand. He made more running metre than any other player on the field and he was hard to bring down at full speed.
The scorers:
For Melbourne Rebels:
Tries: Cooper, Genia
Con: Cooper
Pen: Cooper
For Waratahs:
Tries: Ashley-Cooper, Rona
Cons: Foley 2
Pens: Foley 2
Teams:
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty (captain), 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Matt To’omua, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Luke Jones, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Matt Philip, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Anaru Rangi, 1 Tetera Faulkner.
Replacements: 16 Hugh Roach, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Ross Haylett-Petty, 20 Angus Cottrell, 21 Michael Ruru, 22 Billy Meakes, 23 Tom English.
Waratahs: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Alex Newsome, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Lalakai Foketi, 11 Curtis Rona, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Lachlan Swinton, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Ned Hanigan, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Tuala, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Chris Talakai, 19 Jed Holloway, 20 Will Miller, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 Mack Mason, 23 Cameron Clark.
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Egon Seconds (South Africa), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
TMO: James Leckie (Australia)
