It was an amazing turnaround by the Rebels after they were thrashed 43-0 by the Waratahs in their first game last week, but the result was just reward for their efforts after a reshuffled team showed more cohesion and incredible resolve. 

''Last week we weren't the team we thought we were,'' coach Rod Macqueen said. ''It's lovely to win the game from Melbourne's perspective but, more importantly for the team, we know that we are up there and we know what we're capable of.''

The Brumbies will feel they were harshly dealt with by referee Jonathan Kaplan, who penalised them with less than 90 seconds remaining for some rather tame push and shove after a scrum in the Brumbies' half. But that did not matter to the Rebels nor the ecstatic crowd, as Cipriani - who had already kicked five penalties and a conversion - added his 20th point for the game and sent the stadium into raptures.

The Rebels held on in the final seconds when the game was restarted after the final siren and it was Cipriani who finally booted the ball into the stands to bring an end to the match.

Read more at the SMH.COM ...