Rebels score last gasp in bid to claim spot in Super Rugby AU play-offs

The Rebels clinched a dramatic 34-30 last minute victory over Force on Saturday to reserve their spot in the AU Super Rugby play-offs.

Needing to win by four or more points at Newcastle, the Melbourne team kept their season alive by the slightest margin to deny the Waratahs the final play-off spot.

The attempts of Tom Pincus, Reece Hodge, Dane Haylett-Petty and Cabous Eloff saw them prevail, with Henry Taefu, Andrew Ready (2) and Brynard Stander crossing over by the Force.

The Force opened the scoring in nine minutes when Richard Hardwick was penalized for a ruck infraction, Ian Prior made no mistake from the front to make it 3-0.

It should have been an almost immediate response from the Rebels, but they let out a quick advance on the blind side as Michael Wells couldn’t contain Matt Toomua’s pass. Despite this, the rebels were beginning to dominate possession and territory and had their payoff when Toomua’s retreat pass sent Pincus under the posts.

Thus began the seesaw nature of the game so soon after it was the Force that struck back, Jack McGregor’s timely pass saw Taefu score an 8-7 lead. Toomua responded from the tee, however, in the 23rd minute when the Rebels got their nose back in front at 10-8, which became 13-8 when Hardwick pounced again in ruck time.

The Rebels were now purring and further extending the lead as Hodge shot down the left wing after prop Cameron Orr sent an excellent pass to his center. And six minutes later, the loose head was unlucky not to add a try to his assist on the other wing, as the TMO judged that Hodge had obstructed McGregor’s entry.

Fundamentally for the Force, they would have the last word in the first half when the hooker Ready trailed behind a lineout series, giving them hope at 20-13.

The hope quickly became a genuine belief shortly after the restart when Ready rolled over the whitewash again from the set piece, as there were now 20 each.

That seemed to take the wind out of the Rebels’ sails and the Force felt this was their chance for a first victory in this season’s competition, Prior’s penalty in the 55th minute added to that belief. With Pincus then going to the sin container for a deliberate takedown near the middle, the Force tails were well and truly lifted.

So it proved that Stander was the next to break through to the shutout in 57 minutes, making it 30-20, before the Rebels finally found some form when a break from fin Marika Koroibete led to Haylett’s crossover. Petty to catch them. back to just three points. That set up a grandstand finale with the rebels pushing.

They came agonizingly close to regaining the lead in the 73rd minute through Koroibete, but a forward pass from the block Matt Philip caused the score to be canceled. However, hope was not lost, as with the Fergus Lee-Warner Force wing in yellow, they pressed hard for the crossing from close range, with first pillar Eloff and then Philip closing in.

It was the third time he was lucky at the end of the Rebels as, after replacement hooker Ma’afu thought he had gone under the posts, the ball returned to Eloff, who was not wrong a second time. With Toomua’s simple conversion, the Rebels sealed their way to the knockout stages with the final kick of an exciting game.

Scorers

Rebels

Attempts: Tom Pincus, Reece Hodge, Dane Haylett-Petty, Cabous Eloff

Conversions: Matt To’omua (4)

Penalties: Matt To’omua (2)

Force

Attempts: Henry Taefu, Andrew Ready (2), Brynard Stander

Conversions: Ian Prior (2)

Penalties: Ian Prior (2)

Rebels

15 Dane Haylett-Petty (c), 14 Tom Pincus, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Bill Meakes, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Matt To’omua, 9 James Tuttle, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Michael Wells, 5 Trevor Hosea , 4 Matt Philip, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Jordan Uelese, 1 Cameron Orr