Rebels lose 37-32 to Lions in Super Rugby
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The Melbourne Rebels are still searching for their first Super Rugby win on foreign soil after a heartbreaking 37-32 loss to the Lions in Johannesburg.
The Rebels recovered from a 24-0 deficit to lead 32-27,inside the last ten minutes of the match played early on Sunday (AEST).
The last-placed Lions rattled off the last ten points to secure just their third win of the campaign.
It was the Rebels’ seventh loss in as many overseas games in South Africa and New Zealand.
Both teams scored four tries to earn a bonus point, with Melbourne picking up another for the narrow loss.
The home team led 17-0 after as many minutes and were 24-0 ahead just before the break following two tries to flanker Derick Minnie and one to centre Waylon Murray.
Melbourne piled up three tries 10 minutes either side of the break and rattled up 22 straight points to get within two of the home team.
Hooker Ged Robinson scored from a forward drive after the halftime siren, with fullback Julian Huxley converting to make it 24-7 at the break.
Rebels lock Hugh Pyle crossed for tries in the 47th and 50th minutes, with Huxley adding a conversion and a penalty.
Lions five-eighth Elton Jantjies kicked a penalty to put the Lions lead back up to five.
A chargedown try to five-eighth James Hilgendorf and Huxley’s conversion pushed the Rebels into the lead for the first time.
Huxley booted another penalty to give the Rebels a five-point buffer.
But Lions reserve Jaco Kriel squeezed over in the left hand corner and Jantjies converted and added a penalty in the closing seconds to seal the home team’s win.
© AAP 2013The Crowd Says (4) | Page 1 of Comments
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July 8th 2012 @ 11:12am
Damo said | July 8th 2012 @ 11:12am | Report comment
Rebels were probably spent from the huge catch up effort to come back from 24 nil.
Still they are great to watch
Damien Hill seems to be an impressive half time coach. The rebels with Hill are a team capable of change on the run. Great to watch.
July 8th 2012 @ 11:41am
Bakkies said | July 8th 2012 @ 11:41am | Report comment
Hill needs to become an 80 minute coach. With Dad’s Army retiring or leaving they will lose the experience from the senior players that help lift the side.
As for the Rebels come back during the match. It seems to be a common trend in matches on the Highveld over the past few years. The away side stages a come back from a large deficit and gets the lead then gets done in the last ten minutes.
July 8th 2012 @ 12:49pm
hog said | July 8th 2012 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Can’t keep coming back from 20 nil starts, Rebels need to learn to play for 80 mins.
July 8th 2012 @ 6:26pm
Bakkies said | July 8th 2012 @ 6:26pm | Report comment
Exactly and they don’t have the commitment and application to do that yet.