ACT Brumbies beat Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby AU opener

For moments like Noah Lolesio turning to a small sea of supporters in Canberra Stadium stands and roaring with joy. For moments some feared would never come.

For the thrill of victory, which they got as they started their Super Rugby AU campaign with a thrilling 31-23 win over the Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.

It was a scratchy start to the new season, which was to be expected no matter how long players spent training in pairs with the gear they pillaged from the Brumbies' University of Canberra headquarters months ago before returning as a group.

It was billed as the battle of the Brumbies' all-star forward pack against the Rebels' star-studded backline but it was the home side's flyers running rampant early before the visitors gained the ascendancy at scrum time.

The Brumbies wasted little time in firing the first shot when Andy Muirhead latched onto an inside ball from Folau Faingaa to open the scoring in the third minute.

But the hosts gave away four scrum penalties inside the opening 20 minutes under the eye of referee Angus Gardner to allow Rebels playmaker Matt To'omua to hit two penalties and slice the margin to one.

Within moments scrumhalf Joe Powell peeled off the back of a rolling maul to score in an impressive outing for the Brumbies' No. 9.

Before long he had hooker Folau Fainga'a charging over for his sixth try of the season - or, depending on who you ask, his first.

Because this weekend has ushered in a new era for Australian rugby after the coronavirus outbreak saw the globe-trotting Super Rugby format abandoned for the remainder of the year.

A domestic competition has taken its place and the hosts on this night have entered as heavy favourites to clean house, yet the Brumbies' hot form earlier this year counts for nothing.

So it was only natural to wonder how emerging flyhalf Lolesio would bounce back after a memorable start to his career at the top level, for he'd had so long to think about it.

Saturday marked 112 days since the Brumbies' last taste of action. Melbourne had waited 120 days.

One needn't have worried - Lolesio, like so many others, took some time to find his feet. But when he split the Rebels' defence early in the second half to send Tom Wright over the line, one saw the reemergence of the star quality that quickly made him one to watch.

So much so former Brumby Ben Alexander said post-match he could be wearing Wallaby gold at season's end "with a bit of luck".

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar sat with bated breath midway through the second half when Fainga'a came off second best in a head clash with Tom Cusack.

The try-scoring rake came slowly from the field with Connal McInerney taking his place, and it was their opposite man in Jordan Uelese who got the visitors back into it moments later when he scored Melbourne's first.

The Brumbies' early lead of 24-6 was whittled down in the blink of an eye when Melbourne fullback Dane Haylett-Petty crossed to bring the visitors within four.

To'omua's third penalty brought the Rebels just one point in arrears but their hopes took a hit when two Jermaine Ainsley line-outs went awry to give the Brumbies possession, with Will Miller capitalising on the latter in the 78^th minute to score.

It was a lead which proved insurmountable when Lolesio nailed the conversion in front of the Gregan-Larkham Stand to gift the Brumbies another season-opening win in a year which promises to throw up more of the unpredictable.

AT A GLANCE

Super Rugby AU round one: ACT BRUMBIES 31 (Andy Muirhead, Joe Powell, Folau Fainga'a, Tom Wright, Will Miller tries; Noah Lolesio 3 conversions) bt MELBOURNE REBELS 23 (Jordan Uelese, Dane Haylett-Petty tries; Matt To'omua 2 conversions; To'omua 3 penalties) at Canberra Stadium.