Rebels claim first win of Super Rugby Pasifika after surviving late Drua surge

The Melbourne Rebels finally got their first Super Rugby Pasifika win with a 42-27 victory over the Fijian Drua at AAMI Park.

Tries from Matt Philip, Jordan Uelese, Raymond Nu'nu, Cabous Eloff and Cameron Orr proved too much for the Drua, who had Kitione Salawa, Tevita Ikanivere and Kalaveti Ravouvou get on the try column.

The Rebels, as expected, were the dominant side from the off and scored the game's first try with five minutes gone on the clock. They won a lineout as Reece Hodge put in a dynamic, darting run down the left with Philip eventually on hand to crash over. Matt Toomua's conversion went wide.

The hosts extended their lead to 8-0 in the 11th minute with a penalty from Toomua after Drua prop Kaliopasi Uluilakepa collapsed the scrum.

Their second try came just before the half-hour mark through hooker Uelese, who crossed the whitewash at the back of an unstoppable driving maul with Toomua making mistake with the extras this time around to give the Rebels a 18-0 lead.

Drua flyhalf Teti Tela then kicked two penalties in the 34th and 38th minutes respectively to reduce the deficit to 12 after Philip and then Uelese were penalised for offside.

However, there was still time for Toomua to stretch the lead back to 12-6 with a penalty after Bradley Wilkin got himself over the ball at the breakdown to win the turnover penalty.

The Rebels were clinical at the set piece again and got their third try in the 53rd minute. Andrew Kellaway found Nu'u off the ruck and he put in some impressive footwork, got through three defenders and crashed over after about a 25-metre run for a 28-6 lead after Toomua had converted.

The Rebels went down to 14 men when Hodge was penalised for hands in the ruck and was the scapegoat for a series of