Rays tame the Rebels

Rays tame the Rebels
September 22, 2007

CENTRAL Coast Rays scored a comprehensive 55-7 victory over Melbourne Rebels at Olympic Park to enhance their chances of qualifying for the Australian Rugby Championship finals.

The Rays scored six first-half tries to have the match wrapped up by the break, 43-0.

The Rebels were a much tougher proposition in the second stanza, scoring early in the half while keeping the Rays scoreless for half an hour.

AAP

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Rebels no match for Rays
22/09/2007 5:13:22 PM
Jonathan Healy
Sportal

The Central Coast Rays have kept their Mazda Australian Rugby Championship semi-final hopes alive with a dominant 55-7 victory over the Melbourne Rebels at Olympic Park Stadium in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.

The Rays utilised a strong breeze at their backs in the opening half to run in six tries to zero, and despite a better performance from the Rebels after half-time, the visitors registered a comprehensive victory.

Scrumhalf Brett Sheehan dictated play for the Rays and NSW Waratahs team-mates Peter Hewat and Sam Norton-Knight showed their class with an awesome display of precise kicking.

The Rays opened the scoring after just three minutes when Sheehan found Sam Harris with a lovely ball, the inside centre then passing to Ben Jacobs who sprinted clear to score under the posts.

Sloppy turnovers from the Rebels and a gusty breeze at the back of the Rays saw much of the play remain at one end of the ground, and it was only a matter of time before the visitors crossed over for their second five-pointer.

The Rebels gave away a penalty at the breakdown right in front of the posts, and Sheehan took a quick tap and swung the ball wide, finding Beau Robinson who planted the ball down for the easiest of tries.

Hewat's conversion was waved away leaving the visitors with a 12-0 lead after 15 minutes, but the fullback made amends just minutes later when he slotted a penalty goal from straight in front.

The Rays were over once again when Sheehan and Norton-Knight combined, the rampaging flyhalf swinging the ball wide to Jye Mullane who duly scored the visitors third try.

Just moments later Sheehan made a darting run from the base of a scrum, found Villiame Ratu with a lovely ball before the big No.8 popped a superb pass to Robinson who dived over the line for his second of the afternoon.

Hewat made no mistake with the conversion as the Rays led 29-0 after 30 minutes, and things only got worse for the home side shortly after when skipper David Croft was yellow carded for an infringement at the play the ball.

Reduced to 14 men and continuing to make silly errors the Rebels defence could not stop Mullane adding his second try, after the winger was on the end of a pin-point Norton-Knight pass.

Hewat swung his conversion around superbly to extend the Rays lead to 36, and on the stroke of half-time Norton-Knight crossed for the visitors sixth try, the Central Coast side heading to the sheds with an unassailable 43-0 lead.

The Rebels came out attacking after the break, lock Richard Standford barging over to score after 47 minutes with reserve Jack Farrar adding the extras to put a small dent in the visitors' lead.

Despite numerous attempts by the Rebels to hit back, the well organised Rays defence held firm throughout and against the run of play the visitors scored once more through prop Ofa Fainga'anuku.

Hewat made no mistake with the conversion, bringing up the Rays 50th point, before man of the match Norton-Knight set up winger Pat McCabe in the final minute to put the final icing on the cake.

Rebels 7
Tries: Standford
Penalty goals:
Conversions: Farrar

Rays 55
Tries: Robinson 2, Mullane 2, Norton-Knight, Jacobs, Fainga'anuku, McCabe
Penalty goals: Hewat
Conversions: Hewat 6