Melbourne coach Damien Hill praised the Rebels’ defence despite them conceding seven tries in a 43-12 Super Rugby beating by the Highlanders in Invercargill on Friday.
It was a fourth loss in five games for the Rebels, who have lost all five of their offshore games since being admitted to the competition last year.
The Rebels dared to build on a promising start, leading 9-0 and 12-7 in the first half, following four penalties from as many attempts to five-eighth James O’Connor.
But the Highlanders’ relentless multi-phase play wore down the Rebels, especially in a 14-minute period either side of the break, in which they scored four tries and 24 points.
Sparked by a hat-trick of tries to talismanic flanker Adam Thomson and two to incisive fullback Ben Smith, the home team scored the last 36 points.
“On balance, the first half I think we played very well,” Hill told AAP.
“When you are playing a team like the Highlanders, who are a very good football team, at home and you give them some momentum you are on the back foot.
“Unfortunately that’s what happened tonight. We weren’t able to stem the tide.”
The Highlanders notched their fifth win in six games to go top of the New Zealand conference and the overall ladder.
Asked about positives the Rebels could draw from the game, Hill perhaps surprisingly nominated their defence.
“I thought our defensive effort was exceptional, you don’t often say that having conceded seven tries,” Hill said.
“There were some great defensive efforts and courage shown there, just unfortunately a few occasions where we weren’t able to go low.”
O’Connor and fullback Kurtley Beale, both returning from injury, caused the Highlanders’ defence some early headaches with their running and passing.
O’Connor had a headache of his own after taking an accidental knee to the head from Highlanders centre Tamati Ellison in the 14th minute.
His goalkicking remained impeccable, but he later tweeted that he couldn’t remember any of the calls following the knock.
The Rebels even outscored the home team 3-0 while centre Lloyd Johansson was sin-binned for a first-half lifting tackle, which earned him both a yellow and a white card.
It all went horribly wrong shortly after Johansson returned to the field, as the Rebels conceded tries to Smith and Thomson late in the first half, which ended with a 12-12 scoreline.
Thomson and winger Kade Poki crossed within five minutes of the restart and the Rebels couldn’t rally as the insatiable Highlanders pack dominated possession.
Captain and prop Jamie Mackintosh, Smith and Thomson each breached the Rebels’ stripe in the last 21 minutes.
Rebels winger Cooper Vuna was warned by the referee for a lifting tackle on Poki, which looked just as bad, if not worse, as the one made by Johansson.
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