Saturday 2 May 2015 13:24, UK
The Melbourne Rebels pulled off one of their greatest victories with a tenacious 16-15 win over two-time Super Rugby champions Waikato Chiefs in Melbourne.
The Rebels dug deep to repel the Chiefs in a mighty second-half performance after leading 16-3 at half-time.
It was the first time in four encounters that the Rebels had beaten the Chiefs, who dropped five points behind the Wellington Hurricanes in the New Zealand conference.
Both teams scored two tries each, but it was fly-half Jack Debreczeni's two penalty goals, one a monster 56-metre effort,that edged the Rebels home in a titanic struggle.
The Chiefs made it hard for themselves with some ill-discipline leading to yellow cards for winger James Lowe and skipper Liam Messam in both halves.
It was another eye-catching performance by the improving Rebels, who lie third in the Australian conference eight points behind leaders ACT Brumbies.
Debreczeni kicked his prodigious penalty goal in the sixth minute, preceding a try in the corner by skipper Scott Higginbotham after Rebels' pressure on the Chiefs' try-line.
Andrew Horrell reduced the gap with a penalty for the Chiefs before a big turning point when the Chiefs had a try by winger Tim Nanai-Williams disallowed by referee Andrew Lees who spotted Lowe lashing out at Rebels centre Tamati Ellison in the lead-up.
Debreczeni kicked the penalty and scrum-half Nic Stirzaker got the benefit of an obstruction call to score for the Rebels nearing half-time.
The Chiefs dominated possession in the second half and scored tries by centre Charlie Ngatai and No.8 Michael Leitch to trail by a point heading into the final 10 minutes after Damian McKenzie's conversion attempt of Leitch's try hit an upright.
But the Rebels were able to keep play in the Chiefs quarter through a series of penalties and further aided by Messam's yellow card for making an indirect entry into Melbourne's driving maul near Waikato's try-line.
Rebels skipper Higginbotham said: "The boys did very well, the front row scrummed fantastically and it's great coming off last week's loss to the NSW Waratahs.
"Of the back of this it will be great to play another Kiwi team in the Auckland Blues next week, it will be another tough ask, but I'm sure the boys are up for it."
Chiefs captain Liam Messam said his side had paid for their lack of discipline.
"Our discipline let us down tonight, obviously my yellow card near the end and we cannot afford to give away penalties like that," he said.
