Winger Tom Wright collected a double among the Brumbies’ haul of six as they continued the Super Rugby Pacific misery for Melbourne with a thumping 36-17 victory at AAMI Park.
The Brumbies had four tries before the Rebels scored their first in their Friday night match to continue their unbeaten start from four games.
Melbourne remain winless – the loss their ninth in succession dating back to last season – in an alarming form slump.
Newly re-signed Wallabies winger Andrew Kellaway, who had an off-season foot injury, made his first appearance but he was given few opportunities in their disjointed attack.
The Rebels had plenty of ball and territory early in the first half but too often were let down by poor execution.
The Brumbies, meanwhile, made the most of their chances with flanker Rob Valetini running on to a ball from Allan Alaalatoa and then beating two men and dragging another two across the line for his third try of the season.
The score was 12-0 after 26 minutes when centre Len Ikitau benefited from some good lead-up work by Jesse Mogg and Tom Banks, and flimsy Rebels defence.
The home side wasn’t helped when they lost Glen Vaihu to a yellow card after the young winger took out the legs of a leaping Banks.
While he was off Wright scored the first of his two tries, coming off a floating Nic White pass with the Brumbies taking a 17-3 lead into halftime.
That blew out by another five points at the 42 minute mark after Banks made a long-range break and then kicked ahead with the ball bouncing away from Matt Toomua, with Wright pouncing on his second.
Flanker Jahrome Brown was another to find easy passage to the line.
The Rebels delivered their best try of the season in the 62nd minute, with fleet-footed centre Ray Nu’u sparking the attack before reserve flanker Richard Hardwick found the tryline.
But the Brumbies had the last say, with in-form Banks charging on to a perfectly timed pass from James Slipper and charging ahead to score their sixth of the night.
Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
