Super Rebels stun Saders
12 May 2012
SIMON BORCHARDT reports on the Rebels’ 28-19 upset win against the Crusaders in Melbourne.
These teams did not meet in 2011, because of the conference format, and the general consensus was that the Crusaders missed out on five easy log points.
Richie McCaw’s side must have arrived in Melbourne for this 2012 fixture expecting a comfortable bonus-point win but they left with nothing after conceding two quick tries, in the 67th and 70th minutes, which turned the game on its head.
First, replacement lock Al Campbell passed in the tackle to winger Mark Gerrard, who cut back inside and sent scrumhalf Nick Phipps away for the try. Then 34-year-old substitute centre Stirling Mortlock intercepted a poor pass from Crusaders prop Owen Franks and found Cooper Vuna. The winger attracted the only covering defender and gave the ball back to Mortlock, who dived over.
The Rebels then defended that nine-point lead for the next 10 minutes to pull off one of the biggest upsets in Super Rugby history.
And it was a well deserved win, too. They dominated the breakdown, used the width of the field on attack, and Gerrard’s tactical kicking was superb from the back.
The hosts had all the ball early on and were rewarded with a try to Phipps, who threw a dummy, burst through a gap between two wrong-footed defenders and planted the ball on the line.
Phipps, though, effectively gave those seven points away on the half-hour mark when he knocked on 35m out. The Crusaders booted the ball ahead, regained possession, and second rower Sam Whitelock scored the simplest of tries after a burst down the left touchline by fullback Tom Marshall.
Flyhalf Tom Taylor kicked the conversion and then slotted his third and fourth penalties to give the visitors a 19-10 half-time lead.
But it was all the Rebels in the second half and while they weren’t able to breach the opposition defence in the third quarter, two penalties from flyhalf Kurtley Beale cut the deficit to three.
Then came the two tries that stunned the seven-time Super Rugby champions, and gave the small crowd a reason to celebrate long into the night.
352 Comments
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12 May 2012, 15:05 pm
affies vs grey on tv now
big schoolboy derby
crowd looks about 15 000
12 May 2012, 15:06 pm
Kurtley Beale revelation at 10
was everywhere man
12 May 2012, 15:06 pm
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-250: saders were held pointless in the second half, rebs forwards were men possessed… was great to see..
12 May 2012, 15:06 pm
I notice Fern has twice now called for a truce. Cane point blank refused and Pooper has ignored it.
Good on you Fern. I guess these kiwis can’t live without returning serve.
12 May 2012, 15:07 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-254: actions speak louder than words..
believe it when I see it, not before..
12 May 2012, 15:09 pm
spooner i am just trying to turn the tide
lets try something else chaps
12 May 2012, 15:09 pm
poer after asking for a truce i made no comment that deserved a return of serve.
12 May 2012, 15:10 pm
pooper i mean
12 May 2012, 15:11 pm
.you want a truce and you cant even address me respectfully?
hence my point about believing it when I see it..
12 May 2012, 15:11 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-242: Crusaders were cheating like mad and the referee penalized them accordingly and that’s probably why they lost. Just because they lost, it doesn’t make it ok to persistently cheat.
12 May 2012, 15:12 pm
correction
poppa
12 May 2012, 15:12 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-253:
agree – Men with nothing to lose and expected to lose can often play out of their skins!!.
Rebels showd to play!
12 May 2012, 15:14 pm
translation: “You may award the try”
12 May 2012, 15:15 pm
some nice tries and running rugby in the affies/grey game.
12 May 2012, 15:18 pm
Disappointing to see the kiwis aren’t accepting the olive branch.
12 May 2012, 15:19 pm
give them a chance spooner
12 May 2012, 15:19 pm
McCaw yes got away with lot of cheating ..again.
Bulls at top!!
12 May 2012, 15:20 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-261: Im always willing to talk rugby fern, but often I get p.issed off with the constant NZ jibes by many here… for our greatest foe youd think there would be equal respect, but its rare in that regard on this site, even the “journalists” are not adverse to putting the boot in.. hence I return serve, and if I have to take it to low low levels, I will… I’d prefer not to, but sometimes you got to do what you got to do..
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-260: so the rebs never sealed off the ball? the rebs were never entering from the side? cmon, all teams do it..
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-262: indeed they did, and full credit to them.. they have been improving all season, shame they are going to lose players like Delve next year though (unless he has been offered an extension, havent heard anything in that respect though).
12 May 2012, 15:20 pm
Rebels front page news here in chokerland
talkback today will be full of it.
12 May 2012, 15:22 pm
poppa i am still waiting for a straight answer
are you keewees interested in a truce
yes or no
12 May 2012, 15:23 pm
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-269: where is “chokerland”?
12 May 2012, 15:26 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-271:
New Zealand..now Crusader land
12 May 2012, 15:26 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-270: lets just talk rugby fern, without the insults..see how that pans out.. but dont expect me to stay quiet when other bloggers rake the muck..
12 May 2012, 15:27 pm
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-272: ah I didn’t know you were in NZ. Living, or holiday?
12 May 2012, 15:28 pm
so poppa are you going to group all saffas or specify the ones that start to talk trash
12 May 2012, 15:28 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-270:
Rot in hell Fernly.
12 May 2012, 15:29 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-273: Popps, ever asked yourself why you feel the need to “return serve” at every possible opportunity? Why take it so personally?
Why not shrug it off as meaningless and insignificant like most do?
12 May 2012, 15:30 pm
poppa please talk to cane
12 May 2012, 15:30 pm
@cane(cane)-276: that’s not very nice Cane. Looks like Fern is trying to make this a better place but you are effectively spitting in his face…
12 May 2012, 15:30 pm
let bygones be bygones,fresh new start
12 May 2012, 15:30 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-274:
He is living.
Unfortunately..
8)
12 May 2012, 15:30 pm
This would be a better place without the childish squabbles…
12 May 2012, 15:31 pm
spooner me and cane will have a beer in lower hutt when i am in nz again and me and the big unit will sort things out
he just needs a hug
12 May 2012, 15:33 pm
i am back home with my gf,friends coming over later for a braai
i am feeling the love and simply want to spread it
is that ok?
12 May 2012, 15:35 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-279:
The knunt know as Fernly has had 6 years to show his reasonable side.
And you know it Spooner.
His continued sexual harrasment of Rugby Princess drove her away.
But ………………………….by all means Spoon.
Hold Fernly aloft as the broker of peace.
we know better.
12 May 2012, 15:35 pm
cane you seem very angry
i am sending you lots of love and light right now
12 May 2012, 15:36 pm
fern i dont think u get it, cane does not want to drink in lower hutt with you.
as for the kiwi woman, from what ive seen they seem as pretty as all others, had a mate who was engaged to one and she was pretty easy on the eyes, and that melanie bird is sure as hell better to look at than tony or mexted.
12 May 2012, 15:36 pm
cane can a person not change my brother?
12 May 2012, 15:37 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-282:
Indeed it would.
But it never has been.
12 May 2012, 15:37 pm
cab my offer always stands with cane.
12 May 2012, 15:39 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-288:
Leopards are ………………………….well leopards.
And,
Spots are………………………………………..Spots I think.
12 May 2012, 15:40 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-275: I’ll specify and wont generalise Fern.. Cane is his own person though mate.. thats something you and he will have to sort.
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-277: do you like me returning serve constantly? now imagine that magnified by twenty or so people (not an exact figure obviously) and ask yourself, would you constantly shrug it off?
12 May 2012, 15:40 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-290:
i’m sure that means alot to him.
whats your problem with the kiwi woman in any case, you seem to reckon you some sort of lothario with them or something so i dont really understand your bluster.
12 May 2012, 15:41 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-274:
the chokers here must accept the RWC honeymoon is over
McCaw and Carter powers have waned
12 May 2012, 15:43 pm
tell you what cane
me and poppa has reached a ceasefire
i will from here on just ignore you
you ignore me
untill i say something that deserves a return of serve
i am planning not to give you that oppurtunity
lets keep a civil silence and space
i am from hereon not a south african
i am from the republic of c unt du fernly
label me on what i say
lets not go to the dogs tonight
kia kaha bro
12 May 2012, 15:46 pm
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-294: are you in france? 3 WC finals without a win would suggest that is where you are..
but hey, if in NZ, they have an attraction there called William Webb, you should pop in and see him… dont worry though, you have about another 3 years or so, so no need to rush..
12 May 2012, 15:47 pm
@cab(cab)-287:
Not looking good for your Lions next year cab.
You and all Lions fans have my sincere commiserations.
I trust you and all other Lions Fans will continue to hope for better things.
You have been shafted. But will be back.
12 May 2012, 15:49 pm
@cane(cane)-297:
yip, fkd, thats it, reckon could be the end of ellis – oh well so much for tradition and all.
12 May 2012, 15:51 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-296:
G13G is a North Shore Saffa.
One of the “Old School”.
Still flies the Old Flag from his Commodore.
12 May 2012, 15:53 pm
@cane(cane)-299:
lol, i think thats pretty much spot on, translates in any language, a commodore must be like a ford cortina or capris.
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