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Rebels 27 Crusaders 43
Rebels - Wilkin, Louwrens & Ekuasi tries; Hodge 3 conversions & 2 penalties
Crusaders - Springer, Grace, Moananu, McLeod & Havili 2 tries; Mo'unga 5 conversions & penalty
Fulltime
40th minute - Crusaders clear a scrum in their own territory and McLeod kicks into Rebels half. The home team are desperate for a bonus point now, but Crusaders steal the ball, as the siren sounds.
They win a penalty and Mo'unga kicks to the corner, as they chase a bonus point too.
TRY to McLeod
Whitelock wins the lineout and when he releases the ball, Mo'unga cuts back to the shortside and finds McLeod with a long pass to score in the corner. Mo'unga slots the sideline conversion, CRU 43-27
38th minute - Rebels reclaim the kickoff and try to find a way into the Crusaders 22, but the ball is knocked on.
37th minute - Mo'unga slots the penalty, CRU 36-27
36th minute - Ennor charges forward and Crusaders win a penalty just outside the 22. Mo'unga will take the kick at goal.
35th minute - Crusaders win a scrum in their own half and Goodhue takes the ball over halfway.
34th minute - Rebels win a lineout in their own half and Gordon drills the ball downfield. Pincus claims the catch, but is bundled into touch.
31st minute - TRY to Moananu
The late replacement rumbles over next to the posts to put theCrusaders ahead again. Mo'unga converts, CRU 33-27
30th minute - Crusaders go right, but the last pass from Goodhue is loose and they lose momentum.
29th minute - Strong run from McLeod takes the Crusaders into the 22.
28th minute - Rebels secure the kickoff and Tuttle kicks downfield. Havili fields and Crusaders go left.
27th minute - Hodge slots the penalty and retakes the lead, REB 27-26
26th minute - Rebels field the long dropout, Fa'amausili charges ahead and Christie is off his feet at the breakdown. O'Keeffe brings them back for the penalty.
25th minute - Rebels make ground down the right and Canham tries to fling the ball back infield, but his foot is in touch.
Rebels steal a lineout throw to the Crusaders lineout and Uelese seems over the tryline, but Mo'unga has held him up.
24th minute - From the kickoff, Rebels have the ball back and keep it in hand, but McLeod is quickly on Kellaway.
22nd minute - TRY to Grace
McAlister takes a tap, Barrett goes close to the posts and Grace is the next man up to level the scores. Mo'unga converts for the lead, CRU 26-24
21st minute - Crusaders building phases, Grace finds Ennor, who is flattened by Ioane. Havili breaks towards the tryline, Heinz is dragged down short and Rebels are penalised.
Ekuasi is yellow carded, so the Rebels must defend this scrum shorthanded.
20th minute - Rebels win a lineout in their own half, Louwrens kicks high and Crusaders try to run it back.
19th minute - Crusaders have the ball outide their 22 and Mo'unga kicks high. Springer claims the catch and Mo'unga kicks towards the 22.
Mo'unga gets a retun kick and Goodhue has the defence stretched with his first touch.
18th minute - Goodhue comes on for Burke, so there'll be a reshuffle of the Crusaders, with Havili going to fullback.
17th minute - From the kickoff, Rebels get the ball back and enter Crusaders half. Louwrens kicks high and Crusaders shift left, but Ennor's attempted 50-22 is out on the full.
16th minute - Strange and Grace come on for the Crusaders.
15th minute - TRY to Havili
Whitelocks wins the long throw to the lineout. Moody rumbles from the maul and Williams is held up, but Havili reaches out to score his second try.
Mo'unga converts, REB 24-19
14th minute - Big scrum from the Crusaders wins a tighthead and penalty. Mo'unga kicks to the corner.
13th minute - Crusaders have penalty advantage on the 22 for offside. Mo'unga kicks to the corner, as Patafilo is replaced by McLeod.
Crusaders win the lineout and shift left, where Springer has his second. O'Keeffe is checking for a knockon in the lineout and that seems pretty obvious - no try.
12th minute - Lio-Willie picks up off the back fo the scrum, Crusaders go left, where Ennor probes. Barrett runs off Heinz to reach the 22.
11th minute - Kellaway knocks on in centrefield, so Crusaders have a scrum on halfway.
10th minute - Crusaders win a free-kick from the defensive scrum. Havili clears to halfway, but Rebels take a quick throw-in.
Ninth minute - Rebels shift left, Gordon kicks for Ioane and he flings the ball back infield, but it's deemed forward only metres from the tryline.
Eighth minute - Hodge finds touch outside the Crusaders 22, Rebels win the lineout, but Louwrens is bustled by Barrett.
Seventh minute - Scrum collapses and Rebels have the advantage. Anderson kicks ahead and the ball is knocked forward, so O'Keeffe brings them back for the penalty.
Sixth minute - Lio-Willie drops the ball in midfield and another Crusaders attack ends. Heinz comes on for Drummond.
Fifth minute - Mo'unga finds touch inside the Rebels 10 and Crusaders win the lineout. They shift right, but Rebels tackling is sure.
Fourth minute - Rebels win a lineout on the Crusaders 22 and lay seige to the redzone. Christie is over the ruck to win a turnover.
Third minute - Rebels eventually keeps the ball in hand, but Ekuasi kicks and Crusaders are penalised for playing the ball offside.
Second minute - Canham wins the lineout and Ekuasi bursts up midfield. Rebels shift right.
Williams dives on a loos ball and Havili kicks deep. Kellaway returns the kick to Mo'unga, who kicks to Hodge.
First minute - Remember, the Rebels led the Blues two weeks ago and captiulated by 50 points in the second half, so let's see if they can maintain the pressure against the Crusaders.
Mo'unga kicks off, Canham soars high to claim the ball, Louwrens kicks high and Burke is penalised for midair contact.
Halftime
40th minute - Crusaders have a free-kick and want another scrum in the final seconds of the half.
The siren sounds, as Drummond feeds the scrum. He loses the ball and knocks on - shocking first half from the Crusaders.
That's the most points the Rebels have scored against the Crusaders in the first half.
39th minute - Crusaders have a scrum penalty, but shift right. Burke kicks ahead and referee O'Keeffe brings them back for the penalty and another scrum.
38th minute - Crusaders have a penalty right in front of the posts, when Ekuasi can't roll away from the ruck. They take a scrum...
37th minute - McAlister overthrows the lineout and Rebels clear beyond the 22.
Whitelock wins another long throw and the Crusaders shift right.
36th minute - Mo'unga fiels a kick on halfway and wins a penalty, which he drills into the corner.
35th minute - Gardner wins the lineout, Drummond kicks and the Rebels return the favour.
34th minute - Another pass goes astray, but the Crusaders still have the ball. Springer enters the 22, Whitelock with his third carry in quick succession, but Rebels turn the ball over and Hodge clears to halfway.
33rd minute - Drummond slips a delightful pass to Ennor and after a couple of phases, Ennor kicks to the goal area, where Ripley forces it. Hodge drops out 60 metres.
32nd minute - Whitelock wins a lineout inside the Rebels 22 and Lio-Willie drives towards the posts. Barrett loses the ball and Rebels hack the ball away.
31st minute - Mo'unga kicks off and Burke runs forward to meet Louwrens high kick. Crusaders have a penalty inside Rebels half.
30th minute - Wilkins points to the posts and Hodge slots the kick, REB 24-12
29th minute - Ioane is set loose down the left touchline and Rebels look dangerous. Hosea can't free the offload, but the Rebels have a penalty in front of the posts.
28th minute - From the kickofff, Havili kicks deep down the middle, but Crusaders field a return kick and counterattck. Whitelock is smashed in a tackle and Rebels have the ball.
26th minute - TRY to Louwrens
Hoea wins the lineout and Rebels maul to the tryline. Gibbon seems to have driven over for the try, but he's left it behind for his halfback to score.
Hodge slots the conversion from beside the posts, REB 21-12
25th minute - Hodge kicks to the corner for another lineout.
24th minute - Canham wins the lineout and the Rebels maul collapses. Louwrens dashes towards the line and Rebals have penalty advantage.
23rd minute - Rebels kick off and Gardner eventually grabs the loose ball. Patafilo is penalised for midair contact, but he mitigated the damage by falling away at the last minute.
21st minute - TRY to Havili
Crusaders rumble upfield and into the Rebels 22. Burke puts in a kick that bounces awkwardly, but Drummond gathers, dummies and eventually releases the pass to Havili out wide.
Mo'unga shanks his handy conversion, REB 14-12
20th minute - Rebels scure the kickoff and Louwrens kicks high. The ball bounces back to the Rebels...
17th minute - TRY to Ekuasi
Rebels secure Mo'unga's kickoff and try to run from their 22. Crusaders turn the ball over, but when Havili is smashed in a tackle, the ball pops free and the No.8 dashes the length of the field to score.
Hodge bends his sideline conversion through, REB 14-7
15th minute - TRY to Wilkin
McAlister overthows the lineout, the Rebels gather the loose ball and surge towards the posts, where the captain dummies from the back of the ruck and dives over to score. Hodge converts, 7-7
14th minute - From the kickoff, Mo'unga puts up a high kick, won by the Rebels, and Ripley kicks to touch outside the Crusaders 22.
12th minute - TRY to Springer
From the scrum, Lio-Willie runs off the back and when the ball shifts left, Ennor lofts a long pass to Springer, who crosses in the corner. Mo'unga slots his conversion from the sideline, CRU 7-0
11th minute - Scrum penalty to the Crusaders and they want another scrum.
10th minute - Rebels try an outrageous breakout from their own goal-line, but Ennor smothers a grabber kick and the Crusaders earn an attacking scrum.
Ninth minute - Rebels concede a turnover at the breakdown near halfway and Mo'unga kicks to the corner.
Barrett wins the lineout and the Crusaders maul towards the tryline. McAlister breaks away, but is tackled short.
Eighth minute - Patafilo catches a high kick and Crusaders shift left, where Havilin reaches halfway.
Seventh minute - Whitelock wins the lineout and the forwards surge towards the posts, but they're held up and penalised. Ili is struggling from big head contact.
Rebels win a lineout and Gordon looks for a way through.
Sixth minute - Crusaders looking for a way into the 22, but Christie is held up by Anderson. Mo'unga kicks towards the corner and Kellaway clears his line, but not as far as the 22.
Fifth minute - Hodge drops out 50 metres and Lio-Willie runs it back.
Fourth minute - Crusaders win the lineout, McAlister runs around the back and finds Havili running a hard line. They shift right, but somehow Williams is held up over the line.
Third minute - Drummond feeds the first scurm of the game and the Crusaders break downfield, with Springer kicking ahead. Hodge clears from his ingoal, but only 10 metres out from the corner.
Second minute - From the kickoff, both teams exchange kicks and eventually Gardner is caught offside in pursuit of a kick from Mo'unga.
Rebels win a lineout on the 22 and drive towards the line, but Crusaders turn the ball over at the maul.
First minute - Codie Taylor is a late scratching from the Crusaders, so Brodie McAlister comes into the starting front row.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Melbourne Rebels v Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific clash at Melbourne's AAMI Park.
After a patchy start to the season - two defeats in three games - the six-time defending champions have rallied for five straight wins, including one over their archrivals, the Blues.
After riding out a period that saw them hampered by injuries, the southerners are gradually getting some of those walking wounded back on the park. This week, No.8 Cullen Grace, lock Sam Whitelock and midfield Jack Goodhue return from the sidelines.
With the intrigue over the next All Blacks coaching appointment now virtually over, coach Scott Robertson can now focus solely on wrapping up his Super Rugby career successfully.
The Rebels gave the Blues plenty to think about last week, actually leading them at halftime, before their front row was decimated by injury and their rivals ran riot after the break. Those front-rowers will be under scrutiny again tonight.
TAB Odds: Crusaders $1.12, Rebels $5.75, draw $26
Rebels: 1-Matt Gibbon, 2-Alex Mafi, 3-Sam Talakai, 4-Josh Canham, 5-Trevor Hosea, 6-Josh Kemeny, 7-Brad Wilkin, 8-Vaiolini Ekuasi, 9-Ryan Louwrens, 10-Carter Gordon, 11-Monty Ioane, 12-Stacey Ili, 13-Reece Hodge, 14-Lachie Anderson, 15-Andrew Kellaway
Reserves: 16-Jordan Uelese, 17-Cameron Orr, 18-Pone Fa'amausili, 19-Angelo Smith, 20-Daniel Maiava, 21-James Tuttle, 22-Lukas Ripley, 23-Joe Pincus
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Tamaiti Williams, 4-Scott Barrett, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Dom Gardiner, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Christian Lo-Willie, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Macca Springer, 12-David Havili, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Pepesano Patafilo, 15-Fergus Burke
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Finlay Brewis, 18-Seb Calder, 19-Quinten Strange, 20-Cullen Grace, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-Jack Goodhue, 23-Dallas McLeod
Havili's Crusaders return ominous warning to Super Rugby Pacific rivals
Grant Chapman
The return of midfield kingpin David Havili before the bye break may have served as a warning shot to the Crusaders' Super Rugby Pacific rivals.
The six-time defending champions are about to get healthier, as the season heads into the business end.
All Blacks second-five Havili suffered a shoulder injury against Fijian Drua last month, further exposing a backline already struggling to get internationals Jack Goodhue and Will Jordan back on the park, with Sevu Reece since ruled out for the season.
The Crusaders have somehow navigated a two-month minefield of injuries, mandated All Blacks rest and national coach appointment intrigue to compile a five-win, two-loss record. Victory this week over Melbourne Rebels could propel them into third on the competition ladder, comfortably in playoff reckoning.
After three games on the sidelines, Havili came off the bench against Moana Pasifika early for a concussed Goodhue and completed 64 minutes without further drama.
"It was great to have that extra week off and rest the injury, but it's good to go now," he said. "The frustration of watching the boys on Saturdays has gone now, I'm back out there and hopefully back out there this weekend as well."
In Havili's absence, Dallas McLeod has deputised in the No.12 jersey, showing the depth available to coach Scott Robertson.
"He's been waiting for an opportunity and I've been working closely with him for the last couple of years now," said Havili. "He's a really talented rugby player and with confidence he gained from the Blues game, he's gone from strength to strength.
"I'm super-proud of what he's been able to achieve, and hopefully he will get a few more games in this year and push our midfielders to be the best they can."
Both Havili and assistant coach James Marshall admit the Crusaders' form hasn't exactly set the competition alight so far. After losing their opener against the Chiefs and at the Lautoka cauldron against the Drua, they have won four in a row, including the rematch of last year's final against the Blues.
"We'd like to start a bit better than we did, but that's just the way it was," said Havili. "Now, after the bye, it's just about getting a few more boys back and more consistently out on the park, and getting rid of some of the mistakes from the first part of the season."
The Crusaders have lost Reece and All Blacks prop Fletcher Newell for the campaign, along with lock Mitch Dunshea, but Jordan is apparently nearing a return from the ear complaint that ruled him out of the national team's northern tour last year.
No.8 Cullen Grace fell to a shoulder injury just nine minutes into the new season, but is also close to a comeback, while loose forward Ethan Blackadder is still struggling with a calf niggle.
"We scraped through and didn't hit our straps," reflected Marshall. "Maybe the Blues game was our best of the year so far, but other than that, a lot of it was pretty messy.
"There are reasons for that - obviously injuries played a part and we never really got to play the same team back to back. There were a lot of new combinations, but the best thing about that was we're now in a position where a lot of guys have had the taste and a chance to prove themselves.
"Now there will be more of a selection headache, where we have to make decisions about who's performing and who's best fit for each game."
