The Melbourne Rebels edged the Brumbies 34-27 in a thrilling Super Rugby encounter at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Friday.
The Rebels – the whipping boys of yesteryear – looked an impressive outfit with Wallaby half-back combination Will Genia and Quade Cooper directing traffic in the backline, who ran in three tries.
The hosts started strong and were up 10-0 thanks to a try from Folau Faingaa and the accurate boot of fly-half Christian Lealiifano. But when the Rebels hit back with tries from Jack Maddocks and Tom English in quicktime, it was game on.
Perpetual marauder Rory Arnold crossed the line for the Brumbies in the 27th minute, then Matt Philip and Allan Alaalatoa struck with five pointers for the visitors, who trailed by three at the break.
Rebels hooker Anaru Rangi burst through a couple tackles to score a try and take the lead early in the second stanza. The hosts controlled proceedings with a dominant forward display but their lineout let them down, twice costing them valuable opportunities.
Maddocks would secure his brace when he collected a cross-kick from Billy Meakes in the 73rd minute to put the result out of reach for the Brumbies, who earned a consolation score via Sam Carter in the dying embers of the match.
