Bonus-point try: Cooper Vuna
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A late penalty from Kurtley Beale saw the Rebels claim a 32-31 victory over the Force on Sunday in a result that lifts them to third in their conference.
In a game that was 26-15 at the break in favour of the away side, the Force had fought their way back and were just three minutes away from victory.
But up stepped fly-half Beale from wide on the left to wipe off what had looked like being the winning penalty from Ben Seymour just moments before.
Beale was once again superb in the number ten jersey as the Rebels look a different team with him there instead of the departed Danny Cipriani.
His long, flat passes caused the Force ample problems early on while he also threw in line breaks for good measure in a performance that will have impressed Wallaby boss Robbie Deans.
The Rebels scored four tries in the first-half, with lock forward Cadeyrn Neville grabbing a brace, while captain Gareth Delve and wing Cooper Vuna also found their way to the whitewash.
However, the out-of-form Force responded from the hammering they took at the Sharks last weekend with tries from Fijian winger Napolioni Nalaga, number eight Ben McCalman and replacement Alfi Mafi to set up a grandstand finish.
When Force scrum-half Brett Sheehan kicked a long-range penalty with his last touch from the halfway line to make it 26-25 on the hour, it was then a case of a penalty shoot-out as Beale and Seymour traded blows before the star Wallaby landed the sucker punch.
The scorers:
For Western Force:
Tries: Nalaga, McCalman, Mafi
Con: Harvey, Seymour
Pen: Harvey, Seymour 2, Sheehan
For Melbourne Rebels:
Tries: Neville 2, Delve, Vuna
Con: Beale 3
Pen: Beale 2
Western Force: 15 David Harvey, 14 Samu Wara, 13 Will Tupou, 12 Rory Sidey, 11 Napolioni Nalaga, 10 Ben Seymour, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock (capt), 6 Matt Hodgson, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Salesi Manu, 17 Elvis Taione, 18 Phoenix Battye, 19 Lachlan McCaffrey, 20 Josh Holmes, 21 Winston Stanley, 22 Alfie Mafi.
Rebels: 15 Julian Huxley, 14 Mark Gerrard, 13 Mitch Inman, 12 Lachlan Mitchell, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Gareth Delve (capt), 7 Michael Lipman, 6 Tim Davidson, 5 Hugh Pyle, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Rodney Blake, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Nic Henderson.
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Jono Owen, 18 Al Campbell, 19 Hugh Perrett, 20 Nic Stirzaker, 21 Stirling Mortlock, 22 James Hilgendorf.
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Comments
Ramage says...
@Wallaroo you disappoint me of all the people on here I was sure you could see the maniacal grin spread all over my dial as I was writing that post. Read between the lines lol.
Posted 13:56 23rd May 2012
Wallaroo says...
@Ramage, what blinkers mate. I never mentioned the ref because I didn't want to get into a debate. The reason simply, what's the point / benefit to Jonker either way. He made mistakes but IMO they were not malice, deliberate or cynical. Honestly have not seen a single ref to date in S15 who hasn't made a mistake.
FYI I reserve comment on the assistants and not getting into a debate on their performance. You are entirely welcome to read into that whatever gives you the most satisfaction. lol.
Posted 15:42 22nd May 2012
Ramage says...
@Trinuts less of the ageist insults but then those one liners always spew forth from your posts. I note once again you have avoided answering the question about the total lack of honesty or are they just dodgy from your assistant referees or are they really incompetent. Geez you have the hide to talk about Martin hell most Queenslanders I speak to are embarrassed to admit he comes from the same state.With some of the tripe he mutters I certainly wouldn't want him near a game and to suggest he is better than Jonker shows how out of touch you are and so far from reality. It makes you as big a joke as Martin. Please read what I said for if as you say down to super 15 standard it just shows what a blind bat you are you have spent too many years hanging upside down in those Queensland trees you just cant see how poor Gardner Lees and Smith are. That's why they don't get many games. Let alone the those tried and sacked such as Pearce Marks and Leckie.
Posted 10:08 22nd May 2012
Trinats2 says...
Ramage:
Funny old fart you are ! "up to Super rugby standard" had me in fits. You mean DOWN to S15 standard, surely ! Greg Martin does a better job with the under 14s than some of the Jonkers(whoops Freudian slip !) we see each week.
Maybe if the dodgy refs watched the play, instead of numbers on backs, they wouldn't be so .......................dodgy !!!!
Posted 02:09 22nd May 2012
Ramage says...
Hey Trinuts talking about dodgy home refs I know you havent got many refs up to Super rugby standard but you have some pearlers as assistants lol. Porr old Marius Jonker asks for help and the OZ assistant cant even get his number. So with the help of a dodgy assistant the Reds player stayed on the field. Once again Marius in Perth ask for a number and the dodgy OZ assistant cant give him one. Whats up with these OZ refs I know they don't get many games as they aren't up to it and they can't spell cause beer is spelt xxxx in Queensland. Seems now they cant read numbers as well.
Posted 16:50 21st May 2012
Trinats2 says...
new_j4a says...
"Is marius jonker being punished by relegation to the weak conference?"
Surely that would be SA or NZ as the bottom two teams are SA and NZ !
Usually SA (Lions and Cheetahs) but after Rebels beat Crusader I reckon NZ could be the weakest (they always have the dodgy home refs to help their cause).
Posted 13:51 21st May 2012
meneer says...
Amazing what a team can do when they get shut of an over-rated, predictable NH player - especially one in a pivotal position. The next week the Rebels nearly beat the Bulls and have only improved since. Can't believe Sale took him on, they are struggling already.
Posted 08:51 21st May 2012
uglea says...
As I long term Force fan I again kicked the cat, swore at the dog and tried to fit my beer bottle into my television from 20 paces.
All I can say to the fellas is to keep trying and hopefully it will turn our way again.
Posted 04:56 21st May 2012
Carpelone says...
This will win Beale yet another berth in PR's team of the weak.
Posted 20:11 20th May 2012
Ramage says...
Come on Wallaroo take off the blinkers surely you could see that Jonker was leaning over backwards to help the Rebels. Even the assitants were brought in to see the Force lost. Did you hear the most stupid question Jonker asked his assistant of the day? "Did you get his number?" What asking that of an OZ assistant?. C'mon Marius what a stupid question to throw at an assistant referee from Australia. Absolutely laughable. Where do South Africa find these jokers they send over to the antipodes posing as referees?
Posted 13:51 20th May 2012
Wallaroo says...
What a nail biting finish and I don't support either specifically unless playing a Saffa or Kiwi team.
Well done Rebels. Why was Kurtley Beale not playing at 10 all season? I know a rhetorical question.
Posted 11:28 20th May 2012
startledwombat says...
Well done Rebels!
Posted 11:11 20th May 2012
NHsaints says...
People are making waay too much out of the changing of the tens, Cipriani wasn't the cause of the problem for the rebels...the forwards were...not to mention Beale is practically better than anyone in the world at 10/15 I mean just look at his school days at 10...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExhE0Qs0W68
Posted 11:05 20th May 2012
new_j4a says...
Is marius jonker being punished by relegation to the weak conference?
Posted 10:16 20th May 2012