The Melbourne Rebels and the Bulls have only played each other once in Super Rugby and that match was won by the Bulls 47-10.
Match details
We are waiting for the kick-off.
Mark Gerrard runs out first for the Rebels as he celebrates his 100th Super Rugby cap tonight. It is also a special night for referee Andrew Less who takes charge of his first Super Rugby game this evening.
0.00: Kurtley Beale gets proceedings under way as he kicks off for the home side.
2.00: The Bulls apply pressure early on. Solid breaks from Francois Hougaard and Zane Kirchner see the Pretoria side work their up into the Rebels' 22.
4.00: The Bulls are pinged at scrum time inside Rebels territory. Gerrard kicks for touch.
5.00: The Bulls string together phases inside the Rebels' 22. They have numbers out wide and Akona Ndungane is able to dot down for the Bulls' first try.
6.00: Steyn bangs over the conversion to extend the Bulls' lead.
8.00: The Rebels put together a strong rolling maul before setting up several pick-and-drives. They get their way just inside the Bulls' 22 but the visitors' defence stands firm and they continue to drive the home side back.
10.00: The Rebels work through over fifteen phases as they keep the ball tight and get themselves within 5m of the line. Rodney Blake is able to get over the line to score the Rebels' first try.
11.00: Beale adds the extras with a successful conversion.
12.00: Ndungane knocks the ball on straight off the back of the restart and the Rebels have a put-in at a scrum time just on their own 10m line.
13.00: Werner Kruger is penalised at scrum time and Gerrard kicks for touch.
15.00: Kurtley Beale makes a solid break, dodging several Bulls defenders to run 35m. He off-loads to Cooper Vuna who scores the Rebels' second try.
16.00: Beale bangs over the conversion.
18.00: The Bulls gain momentum inside the Rebels' half. They get through several quick recycles as Bjorn Basson is able to dot down for the Bulls' second try of the evening.
19.00: Steyn adds the extras with a superb conversion.
20.00: Flip van der Merwe is sent off for throwing a punch at a scrum inside Bulls territory.
22.00: The Rebels string together phases as they work their way towards the Bulls' line. They are unable to hold on, however, and Francois Hougaard punts the ball up field.
24.00: The Bulls get their way within 5m of the line. Luke Jones is yellow carded for a tip tackle and Morne Steyn will have a kick at goal from 20m out.
25.00: Steyn's kick sails over and the Bulls regain the lead.
26.00: The Bulls work their way up inside the Rebels' 22 once more. They set-up a brilliant platform off the back of the breakdown and Steyn is able to dot down for the Bulls' third try.
28.00: Steyn converts his own try, extending the Bulls' lead.
30.00: The Rebels reciprocate immediately as they get themselves up inside the Bulls' 22. The visitors are penalised at the breakdown and Gerrard kicks for the corner instead of taking a shot at goal as the Rebels are hungry to score.
32.00: The Rebels set up a rolling maul to get themselves within 5m of the line. The Bulls are penalised once again and Rebels captain Gareth Delve calls for a scrum.
34.00: Nick Phipps shuffles around several Bulls defenders to score the Rebels' third try directly under the posts.
35.00: Beale's conversion is on target.
36.00: Mitch Inman is penalised inside his own half and the Bulls opt to kick for the corner.
37.00: The Bulls set up a solid rolling maul and CJ Stander is able to dot down for the visitors' bonus point try.
38.00: Steyn slots the conversion.
39.00: Jacques Potgieter is penalised for taking a Rebels player out in the air. Gerrard kicks for the corner.
40.00: The hooter sounds as the Rebels string together phases just 15m out. The Bulls are penalised at the breakdown and Rodney Blake opts to take it quickly. The Bulls are penalised again for not being 10m and the Rebels choose the tap-and-go.
41.00: Delve backs himself and dots down for the Rebels' bonus point try.
42.00: Beale adds the extras as the teams head to the tunnel for half time.
The half time score was Rebels 28 Bulls 31.
40.00: Morne Steyn gets the second half under way at AAMI Park as he kicks off for the Bulls.
41.00: The Bulls have a throw-in at a lineout inside Rebels territory. The home side steal the ball and Beale punts the ball up field.
43.00: The Bulls work through phases just inside the Rebels' half. They lose the ball, however, and Beale looks to run the ball from half way. The Rebels get up inside the Bulls' 22 but are unable to hold on and miss out on a crucial scoring opportunity.
46.00: The Rebels apply serious pressure as Kurtley Beale punts the ball towards the line. He races Zane Kirchner to touch down but Kirchner carries the ball over, before Beale drags him down to set up a Rebels scrum just 5m out.
49.00: The Rebels continue to dominate the possession and territory statistics in the second half. They get a throw-in at a lineout as they continue to apply pressure inside Bulls territory.
51.00: The Rebels are forced onto the back foot as the Bulls string together phases inside the home side's 22. Beale looks to kick up field but Steyn charges down the kick.
55.00: There is a massive cheer from the Melbourne crowd as Stirling Mortlock runs onto the pitch for the first time this season, following a lengthy injury layoff.
59.00: The Bulls apply serious pressure as they work their way up inside the Rebels' 22. Steyn puts in a perfectly weighted kick and JJ Engelbrecht gathers to score the Bulls' fifth try.
61.00: Morne Steyn converts the try to extend the Bulls' lead.
62.00: The Rebels steamroll their way into the Bulls' half. The visitors attempt a turnover but knock the ball on and the Rebels have a put-in at a scum just on the Bulls' 10m line.
63.00: Inman makes a solid break to get the Rebels within a metre of the line. Vuna is able to get the ball down to reduce the deficit.
65.00: Beale bangs over the conversion.
67.00: The Rebels are battling at the lineout as they continue to lose the ball. This time round the Bulls steal the ball and relieve the pressure just 5m from their own line.
69.00: The Rebels are penalised at scrum time inside Bulls territory. Steyn is happy to kick for touch to get the Bulls out of jail.
71.00: Delve is pinged for holding on inside his own half. Steyn will have a kick at goal from around 40m out.
72.00: Steyn sinks the kick to extend the Bulls' lead.
74.00: The Rebels string together over fifteen phases inside Bulls territory. Vuna looks to break up the touch line but is unable to hold on to the ball.
77.00: The Bulls defend ferociously and do well to gain momentum off the back of a defensive scrum. They continue to slow the ball down at the back of the rucks as they wait for the clock to tick down.
79.00: The Rebels look to run the ball from inside their own half. They work through several phases inside Bulls territory but the ball is knocked into touch and the Bulls will get a throw-in at a lineout on their own 10m line.
80.00: The ball is kicked into touch, handing the Bulls victory in Melbourne.
The final score is Rebels 35 (28) Bulls 41 (31).
Scorers
Rebels
Tries - R. Blake, C. Vuna 2, N. Phipps, G. Delve
Pen -
Con - K. Beale 5
Drop -
Cards - L. Jones (yellow and white)
Bulls
Tries - A. Ndungane, B. Basson, M. Steyn, CJ. Stander, JJ. Engelbrecht
Pen - M. Steyn
Con - M. Steyn 5
Drop -
Cards - F. Van der Merwe (yellow)
Match Officials
Referee: Andrew Lees
Assistant Ref 1: Angus Gardner
Assistant Ref 2: Julian Pritchard
TMO:George Ayoub
Teams
Rebels
1. Nic Henderson, 2. Ged Robinson, 3. Rodney Blake, 4. Cadeyrn Neville, 5. Hugh Pyle, 6. Luke Jones, 7. Tim Davidson, 8. Gareth Delve, 9. Nick Phipps, 10. Kurtley Beale, 11. Cooper Vuna, 12. Lachlan Mitchell, 13. Mitch Inman, 14. Mark Gerrard, 15. Julian Huxley.
Replacements: 16. Adam Freier, 17. Jono Owen, 18. Al Campbell, 19. Ryan Hodson, 20. Richard Kingi, 21. James Hilgendorf, 22. Stirling Mortlock.
Bulls
15. Zane Kirchner, 14. Akona Ndungane, 13. JJ Engelbrecht, 12. Wynand Olivier, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10. Morne Steyn, 9. Francois Hougaard, 8. Pierre Spies, 7. Jacques Potgieter, 6. CJ Stander, 5. Juandre Kruger, 4. Flip van der Merwe, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1.Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16. Willie Wepener, 17. Frik Kirsten, 18. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19. Arno Botha, 20. Jano Vermaak, 21. Louis Fouche, 22. Johann Sadie.
