Force hopes dented as Rebels post their biggest-ever home score
Melbourne have put a major dent in the Western Force’s Super Rugby Pacific finals aspirations and farewelled Rebels stalwart Reece Hodge from AAMI Park as a winner with a thumping 52-14 victory.
The loss wasn’t the only damage to the Force’s play-off hopes, with the WA club relegated to ninth by Queensland’s last-gasp loss to the Highlanders earlier on Friday night.
They were unable to pick up a point in the eight tries to two romp, while the Rebels, who will require a miracle in the last round to make the finals, at least gave their fans something to cheer about with the bonus-point victory.
The match was the last at home for France-bound centre Hodge, who overtook Tom English as the most-capped Melbourne player with 99.
The 28-year-old was unable to get amongst the try-scoring action, with five of the Rebels’ forwards – Brad Wilkin, Sam Talakai, Josh Kemeny, Richard Hardwick and Vaiolini Ekuasi – sharing some of the spoils.
TOUGH Talakai! ?
Sam Talakai rips through the Western Force's defence to score his first ever Super Rugby try!#SuperRugby pic.twitter.com/oGJ57DXkap
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) May 26, 2023
Melbourne set up the win with their go-forward and dominance at the set-piece and breakdown. The rest of the tries were scored by Ryan Louwrens, Lachie Anderson and Nick Jooste in Melbourne’s biggest-ever score posted at AAMI Park.
Five-eighth Carter Gordon, who missed last week’s loss to the Highlanders with a knee injury, and veteran half-back Louwrens combined to spark the relentless Rebels attack. Bullocking centre Sam Spink scored a try in each half for the Force – intercepting a Gordon pass for his second.
But it was otherwise a disappointing performance to follow their breakthrough win over the Brumbies last time out. Currently 10th, the Rebels take on the third-placed Brumbies in Canberra in the final round. The Force will need to beat the ladder-leading Chiefs in Perth to force their way back into finals contention.
Best display of refereeing all season and it was his 1st game at this level.
The game flowed and he wasn't searching for reasons to award penalties.
This shows what the Rebels can do when we don't go to sleep for 15 minutes in the second half. Hopefully there's a lot more play like this and a lot less second half fadeouts next year, and then we might be in the top six rather than cellar dwelling again