Rebels 26
Force 25
The Melbourne Rebels posted their first ever away win, 26-25 over the Western Force in the Super Rugby clash at perth's NIB Stadium last night.
The Force looked like rectifying last week's drubbing by the Stormers with a thrashing of their own by notching an early 15-0 lead.
But they allowed the Rebels back into it before a charging run from lock Sam Wykes put winger Rory Sidey over for a 65th minute converted try that took them to within one point.
The Force looked like stealing the game with a run down the right side by flyhalf James O'Connor with nine minutes to go but a pass back inside was knocked down.
The Wallabies representative then had a chance to take the game with a penalty but his shot at goal from out wide was waved away.
The Force opened up the scoring with a try to Wykes in the fourth minute with O'Connor able to convert.
Less than five minutes later O'Connor ran 50 metres virtually untouched before putting young hooker Nathan Charles over the line for a 12-0 lead.
Melbourne began their claw-back in the 15th minute with a successful penalty goal to Danny Cipriani.
That was repeated two more times in the first half by the flashy England flyhalf, with the Force's ill discipline costing them their early lead.
Cipriani's own discipline came into question when he deliberately shouldered a Force player chasing a kick in what was a blatant obstruction and earned the Perth side three points.
The Rebels got their first try in the 20th minute when fullback Mark Gerrard crossed in his first game since round four when he suffered a shoulder injury.
The former Wallabies back was unlucky to be yellow-carded six minutes later after a high tackle on Force winger David Smith which had the 15,000-strong crowd gasping in shock.
However on replay it looked a lot less serious with Gerrard striking Smith high across the chest.
It was 15-14 to the Force at halftime and the Rebels took the lead soon after the break with lock Hugh Pyle intercepting a Cameron Shepherd pass 30 metres out and scoring on debut.
Five minutes later the Melbourne outfit extended their lead in a clever play by Cipriani who the Force had presumed was taking a penalty shot at goal.
Instead he kicked across field to winger Richard Kingi who gathered the ball and scored.
The loss leaves the Force alone at the bottom of the Australian conference.
- AAP
