The Melbourne Rebels have taken a giant step toward securing a maiden finals berth after knocking over the Highlanders 47-31 on Saturday evening.
On the back of a hat-trick to “kid wonder” Darby Lancaster and a double to playmaker Carter Gordon, the Rebels ran in seven tries to the Highlanders’ four to seal one of the franchise’s most important wins and leapfrog the Chiefs into fourth spot.
Back in 2019 the Rebels started the season on fire but faded badly to miss the knockout stages of the tournament.
That doesn’t look like occurring in 2024, with Kevin Foote’s side winning three on the trot for the first time in four years.
It’s a remarkable turn of events, with the Rebels delivering one of their best seasons on record despite their futures in limbo as the embattled Super Rugby franchise looks for a way through their financial turmoil. The win also came off the back of the Rebels’ women’s side defeating the Fiji Drua 34-21.
“The Melbourne Rebels are making headlines for all the right reasons now,” Stan Sport lead commentator Sean Maloney said.
Carter Gordon celebrates scoring a try with Ryan Louwrens during the Rebels’ win over the Highlanders at AAMI Park on April 13, 2024, in Melbourne. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
After Nick Stiles helped assemble the squad over the past 24 months, Foote must take lots of the credit for keeping the group together.
The leadership of Sam Talakai, who is leading in the absence of Rob Leota and starting ahead of Taniela Tupou, is also coming to the fore.
“Really happy with the guys, happy with the win and go into the bye (on a high),” Talakai said.
While the Rebels’ defence still looks brittle and their inability to put pressure on the breakdown remains a concern, Gordon has the Burn City boys playing with plenty of confidence with ball-in-hand.
The 23-year-old’s passing and vision continue to grow, while he’s also benefiting from playing off quick ball.
No more was that the case than when he stormed onto a ball from halfback Ryan Louwrens to score and open up a handsome second half lead.
His try came after Tupou burst onto a Gordon ball near the opposition 22 metre line, before the replacement tight-head prop got away a lovely offload to Andrew Kellaway who was brought down just metres short of the line. With quick ball, Gordon scored and the smiles returned.
No one smiled brighter than Lancaster, who finished off his hat-trick by picking up a ball off his shoe laces and then ran 50 metres to score under the sticks.
The slips-like catch put the cherry on top of his performance, but it was his two earlier efforts in the first half, particularly his grubber out wide to score, which showed his quality.
“Have we found a new kid wonder?” two-time World Cup-winning Wallaby Tim Horan said. “He’s going to be some sort of player.”
Justin Harrison added: “What a season he’s having.”
Lancaster, who burst onto the scene via the Australian sevens team and still might yet play a role in Paris in July, was naturally delighted and said his experience in the abbreviated version of the game had helped his transition.
“Absolutely stoked to get a win tonight,” Lancaster said.
“We had a real focus leading up to these three games leading up to our bye week next week and to take out all three, and with such a good performance tonight, we’re just over the moon.
“I think it’s just little skills. Sevens is such a game of refined skills, there’s only seven guys on each team so everything matters.”
Darby Lancaster celebrates scoring the first of three tries against the Highlanders at AAMI Park on April 13, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/Getty Images)
Although Gordon and Lancaster got the headlines, Josh Kemeny made a timely return and was excellent on both sides of the ball.
Tupou once again used his giant frame to great effect, while Tuaina Taii Tualima was busy.
Filipo Daugunu also had another strong performance and the consistency and quality on both sides of the ball will be impressing Joe Schmidt.
Andrew Kellaway also made a seamless return at fullback.
Despite winning five of their opening eight matches, Gordon added that the Rebels were conscious of the difficult finish to the season they have, where they’ll play the high flying Blues, Chiefs, Brumbies and Drua away over the next two months.
“It was really pleasing to get the win tonight,” he said. “We’ve had a really big three-week focus and to have won those three games puts us into a really good spot heading into the bye-round.
“We’ve got some big games coming up. We haven’t versed these top of the table teams yet apart from the ‘Canes, so we’ve got some big games ahead of us. If we can play and get some results against them, then it might be hard not to look forward.”
PeterK
Roar Guru
thanks
Old school rugby
Roar Rookie
What year is his contract up?
Jaarp
Roar Rookie
I think they have used all their money on Jorgo and Joseph.
Jezdexter
Roar Rookie
The rules are: (a) the Player was born; or (b) one parent or grandparent was born; or (c) the Player has completed sixty [1] consecutive months of Residence immediately preceding the time of playing; or (d) the Player has completed ten years of cumulative Residence preceding the time of playing. He should qualify under cumulative I think, pretty sure he’s done 10 years in Australia.
Possum face
Roar Rookie
The disaray has been going on for years and so it's not a cheap shot to say Australian teams have benefited from this new competition structure. In twenty eight years Ozzie teams have won the competition four times. The Brumbies have won it twice with a top four play-off. Eight finalists is, as you say, meant to be a money spinner, but competitive rugby generates crowds. Remember how Australians loved the covid games? I still maintain the best competition finals would involve the very best teams regardless of what side of the Tasman they come from. News just in. Super Rugby Pacific now has three competition phases. Regular season, pre finalists and finalists.
Ash
Roar Rookie
Where PW didn’t pull out any cards for repeated infringements.
Qualify
Roar Rookie
Still, personally I'd rather have a great flyhalf on both attack and defense who can't kick, than one who can only kick but can't tackle.
LeftRightOut
Roar Rookie
Have never been a rebels fan, no problem in admitting it. Always wanted them to win, but just struggled with getting excited about them. But am very happy for their winning ways. If oz teams, I will always be very happy if we are winning. Qld worries me though, were talked up too quickly by far too many. Desperate for them to do well, but unlike many on here, I am not a believer in Kiss is a messiah. Great guy and wish him all the best, but a bit of digging can give some context on his coaching. Thorn stayed one season too long. Would have loved Cotter to come after leaving Fiji. But the anti kiwi sentiment would have gone overboard. But I still have hope for Kiss, but unlike many here, I am not convinced he is as good as people say. Again, truly hope I am wrong. Congrats to the Tahs and Rebels, great wins, great for oz, and that is all I want!
AgainAgain
Roar Rookie
I agree that we shouldn’t over egg the situation for the Rebels, but I don’t think celebrating the small wins should be only kept for the finals. Where is the joy in that? Would you really take that away from Australian rugby fans and teams? If that is how you see it, then SR should be killed off and NZ can play with themselves. I don’t personally think that helps anyone. And suggesting the 8 team finals was only done to benefit Australia is simply wrong, and the only reason I can think for saying it is to take a cheap shot at any team in Australia that takes joy out of the game and making small milestones. Considering the disarray in Australia at the minute, I think it is a little mean-spirited. Of course you are entitled to your view and sticking it to them, but I don’t really see the joy in that either. And at the end of the day that is just my view, which to be honest is no more right or wrong than yours.
Guess
Roar Rookie
How do you people compare winger to fb? And how’s he better exactly?
Guess
Roar Rookie
Someone is salty :laughing:
Guess
Roar Rookie
1m forward. If it's fine for you then you're biased. Literally don't remember them penalised once for not rolling away. When was it? timestamp. And when highlanders weren't.
Possum face
Roar Rookie
The Rebels have played some average teams recently and when they beat an average kiwi team Doran fawns over them. There's time for adulation at the pointy end. And yes the data does suggest that given how terrible Australian teams have performed over the years that the competition had to have eight finalists because Australian teams would be invisible otherwise.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
'I wonder how the Champions Cup / Top 14 and other games recently – compare with these top quality viewings …' Why don't you watch the Champions Cup (three QFs yesterday) and find out? We're lucky in the UK time zone because I could watch the SRP games yesterday morning and then 3 of the Champions Cup QFs back to back in the afternoon/evening. The first one between Bordeaux and the English underdogs Harlequins finished 42-41 to the underdogs. It was played in 30 degree heat in front of 30,000 screaming French people. There were 12 tries and only 3 points in the entire game came from penalty kicks (by the French). The third game (Northampton v Bulls) also had 12 tries and only three points from a penalty kick. Sandwiched between was the match between Leinster (not far short of the Ireland national team) and last year's champions La Rochelle. In terms of pace, intensity and quality all three were a significant step up. The Rebels would lose to all teams involved by a sizeable margin. It's not a surprise (although it is a massive shift in, say the last five years) because if you were picking a 'World 23' today, 90% of the players would not be playing in the SRP.
PeterK
Roar Guru
no forward pass by gordon, and daugunu's turnover was fine. He failed to ping highlanders often when they didn't roll away. Rebels were penalised at the ruck for not rolling away at least 3-4 times and highlanders only once when they layed there often.
PeterK
Roar Guru
no , it has to be continuous, it resets everytime he leaves to live in any other country. That is unless they have changed the rules recently.
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
Daungunu has to be back in there doesn’t he? He’s been the form 13 this year in my eyes
Guess
Roar Rookie
Editors, where's article with the tahs? Articles with the clown were on the front page for days and best story of the weekend is already burried? Sure bpa returning and Byrne being Fiji coach is more important.
Guess
Roar Rookie
Which one? Where hodge missed pk?
Guess
Roar Rookie
Right when did he penalise rebels for lying around? You're making things up at this point. There was nothing unusual or biased about the way he reffed breakdown. He made two wrong calls for Landers it's that try obviously and not giving YC for another deliberate knock on. Berry brushed off 2 more knock ons by crusades and nobody is complaining even if the game was close. On the other hand Williams didn't ping Gordon for forward pass that led to Landers yc and penalty try. And he also gave crucial turnover to daugunu when the tackler didn't roll away. Rebs conceding too many points isn't refs fault. They're the only team who have negative point difference in top 6 . Childish to complain about Williams in this game. He's the most neutral ref possible