The Melbourne Rebels overcame injuries and a Western Force fightback to secure their first win of the Super Rugby season with a gutsy 30-29 victory at AAMI Park.
It looked like the Rebels were in for more heartbreak after close losses in their past two games after surrendering a 21-0 lead, but they managed to claw it back in the 72nd minute and hold on until the final whistle.
Injuries to Melbourne playmakers James O’Connor and Danny Cipriani rocked the Rebels before and during the match.
Hamstring injuries were the common theme as O’Connor withdrew before the match after damaging his during the week at training while Cipriani grasped at his leg as he scored a try in the 22nd minute and left the field soon after.
Wallabies fullback Kurtley Beale and utility back Richard Kingi were also sidelined with the problem.
The Force took a 29-27 lead in the 64th minute after fullback Dave Harvey converted a Nick Cummins try and the Rebels looked like stretching their winless streak of 12 straight losses.
But Force skipper David Pocock was penalised at the ruck and veteran centre Mark Gerrard stepped up to slot the winning penalty.
Before his departure, mercurial Englishman Cipriani had his best match of the season, and the Rebels their best start.
They scored three tries in the opening 22 minutes, through centres Lachlan Mitchell and Lloyd Johansson, and then Cipriani’s long-range five-pointer.
Cipriani opted to run deep inside the Rebels’ territory after a turnover and passed to Gerrard, who left flanker Angus Cotterell grasping at thin air and then managed to shrug off a tackle from winger Nick Cummins to get a pass back to Cipriani.
But he pawed at his leg as he dashed to touch down under the posts and was forced off minutes later.
Despite the best efforts of his replacement James Hilgendorf, the Rebels didn’t have the same verve in attack and their defence became ragged.
The visitors got on the scoreboard twice within five minutes through Pocock and then centre Winston Stanley, who caught the home side short out wide.
Melbourne still led 24-12 at halftime but the Force struck three minutes into the second half through winger Alfie Mafi, who beat at least four defenders to touch down.
After the teams traded penalties, the visitors hit the front and secured a bonus point when Cummins found a gaping hole and scored with Harvey securing the lead.
But the desperate Rebels got their noses back in front and managed to hold on for a well-deserved win.
Melbourne skipper Gareth Delve said the win “meant the world” to his side.
“It’s a great feeling,” he said.
“There was a bit of deja vu coming on at the end but we managed to hang on.
“The boys really gutsed it out and really stuck at it.
“This will give us an enormous amount of confidence.”
Pocock didn’t feel there was any hangover from their one-point win over NSW last round despite their slow start.
“We let them get off to a flyer and they capitalised on their opportunities,” Pocock said.
He said he didn’t think there was much in his costly penalty.
“It was one of those ones; sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t.”