The Force suffered an agonising one-point loss to the Rebels on Friday night – and a Wallabies legend believes they may have hamstrung themselves by opting for a late penalty goal.
When the referee blew his whistle after deeming the Force off side in the 73rd minute, fullback Jake Strachan slotted a penalty goal to close the deficit from four points to three.
No more points were scored over the remainder of the match and the Rebels clung on desperately for a 22-21 triumph.
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Tim Horan, a Wallabies great with 80 Tests beside his name, singled out the Force’s decision to take the penalty goal as a potentially costly move.
“… he probably shouldn’t have taken the kick for goal for three points,” Horan said on Stan’s post-match coverage.
“You’re six minutes out from full-time. You kick for touch, you back your lineout. You’re behind by four points. You’ve got to stay down that end of the field.”
The Rebels’ second win in succession put them equal on points with the Hurricanes.
Melbourne’s two consecutive wins follow a horrible start to its campaign, in which it registered just one victory from its first six outings.
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The Highlanders are floundering in 10th, one spot behind the Rebels, after falling to their fourth defeat in five games.
“Congratulations, Melbourne Rebels,” Horan said.
“That’s two in a row. It was a tough start to the competition. Those first six rounds were pretty tough, but they’ve got two in a round. Well done.”
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