The Melbourne Rebels Women have fallen to the ACT Brumbies Women 37-8 in Round 4 of the Buildcorp Super W season at AAMI Park on Friday afternoon.
Melbourne produced brilliant Good Friday sunshine, as the Brumbies got on the board first through winger Darcy Read carrying the ball over the line within the opening ten minutes.
The Brumbies then converted a penalty off the boot of full back Samantha Wood to open up an 8-0 lead.
Despite the early deficit, the Rebels fought to maintain possession inside their opposition’s 22 and find avenues to score.
They found one through a Brumbies turnover and penalty, with scrum half Georgia Cormick converting to get the Rebels off the mark.
The Brumbies got on top after the Cormick conversion, with repeat scrums inside the Rebels’ 22 before Remi Wilton found a way through the home team’s defence for a try.
Needing a try late in the first half to stay in touch, the Rebels and utility Ashley Marsters barged their way over the line for their opening try to keep the margin to seven points at the main break.
The Brumbies resumed proceedings after the long break by maintaining possession deep inside the Rebels’ 22, before 40-year-old Louise Burrows willed herself over the line to extend the visitors’ lead.
Wood and Read took ascendency for the Brumbies in the second half, combining on multiple occasions on fast breaks in what was a clear tactic from coach Tony Doherty.
Despite toiling hard in the second half, the Rebels’ hopes of a comeback faded when Tayla Stanford and winger Talei Wilson found the line for the Brumbies to open up a sizable lead.
An intercepted ball from Brumbies captain Shellie Milward put the game beyond doubt for the Canberra outfit, with a Georgia O’Neill conversion leaving the final score, 37-8 to the away team.
The Rebels Women host the the NSW Women at Box Hill Rugby Club next Saturday at 3:00pm in their last game for season 2018.
RESULT – Buildcorp Super W, Round 4
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Melbourne Rebels Women 8
Tries: Marsters
Cons: Nil
Pens: Cormick
ACT Brumbies Women 37
Tries: Burrows, Milward, Read, Stanford, Wilson, Wilton
Cons: Wood 2
Pens: Wood
