The Rebels claimed their maiden win against the Lions in Melbourne on Saturday night.
What are we talking about after 37-17 win?
1. Rebels building into 2020
The Rebels have been guilty in recent years of jumping out of the blocks early in the season and fading away as the year goes on.
It’s an issue both coach Dave Wessels and captain Dane Haylett-Petty spoke about in preseason and something the Rebels had clearly focused on fixing.
The Rebels are building nicely into 2020 - they had a round one shock against the Sunwolves but since then they have racked up wins against the Waratahs, Highlanders and now the Lions.
They have a bye next week and the big test will come after that, at around the halfway mark of the season, as to whether this is an upward trajectory or simply leading into the same old concerns.
2. Lions losing grip on South African conference
The Lions are well and truly in a rebuilding phase.
The Johannesburg side have been one of the Super Rugby powers of recent times, and that strength has often been marked by their performance in Australia and New Zealand tours.
This year, though, they have come up winless from their first two weeks on tour and things won’t get much easier for them as it goes on.
There’s always a lot of discussion about the regeneration in Australian teams in Super Rugby but the South African teams this year are rebuilding just as much.
3. Kellaway playing with a purpose
There has never been a question about Andrew Kellaway’s talent but his work ethic and desire has at times been his undoing.
A run of unlucky injuries hurt him at the Waratahs but he has admitted that there was a lack of motivation as well, as he sat behind Israel Folau at fullback.
There seems to be no such attitudinal issue this season.
Kellaway has gobbled up his opportunity in Melbourne after a stint with Northampton and he hasn’t lost any pace or game smarts despite those injury troubles.
He has been in the Wallabies frame before - going on the 2016 Spring Tour as a development player - and you’d expect him to be in the mix again in the not too distant future.
4. Yellow cards no cause for alarm for Rebels
The Rebels will be ruing the fact that they coughed up two yellow cards late in the first half but their response to that ill-discipline will be a big tick.
Marika Koroibete was sent to the bin for a high tackle midway through the second half and then Tom English followed just as the winger’s time was nearly up.
It was the kind of frustrating turn of events that could unravel a team but instead, the Rebels were able to score two tries, one each in their 14-man stints.
While the Lions are certainly not in the same class as some of the top Super Rugby sides this year, that resilience and composure is important for the Rebels to maintain.
5. Set piece needs solidifying
One thing the Rebels will be looking at over their next two weeks is their set piece.
The Rebels have generally been rock solid when it comes to the scrum and the lineout but the Lions tested them in that area.
The lineout particularly looked more vulnerable than it has in the past. The positive for the Rebels is that they were able to make up for that in other areas.
They won’t have that luxury against every team but the chance to ruminate that in a bye week will be timely for them.
