Super Rugby: Demetri Catrakilis kicks last-minute drop-goal as Kings beat Rebels in Melbourne
A last ditch drop-goal from Demetri Catrakilis gave the Southern Kings a dramatic 30-27 victory at the Melbourne Rebels.
Last Updated: 13/04/13 1:01pm
The game was locked at 27-27 almost three minutes into stoppage time when Catrakilis stepped up to slot home the winning drop-goal in Melbourne.
The Kings made the perfect start possible when wing Ronnie Cooke finished off a brilliant back-line move with a try in the corner. Catrakilis converted from far out, and the visitors took an early 7-0 lead.
The South Africans doubled their score and the vocal home crowd were silenced moments later when Shaun Venter pounced for the Kings' second - the scrum-half showing superb skills and strength to get over the whitewash as Catrakilis duly converted.
It took the Rebels 25 minutes to post their first points on the scoreboard, when Ged Robinson burrowed his way over the try-line. James O'Connor added the extras before trading penalties with his opposite number (10-17).
The Rebels drew level when replacement full-back Angus Roberts, on for the crocked Richard Kingi, raced in for his first Super Rugby try thanks to some good work from Jason Woodward.
The two sides went into the half-time sheds 17-17, and the game was anyone's for the taking.
But the Rebels picked up where they left off in the second half, as O'Connor added another three-pointer to his points tally before Mitch Inman carried three Kings defenders over the tryline for the hosts' third try of the match.
Inman's converted score opened the gap up to 10 points and the Kings - try as they might - just couldn't make up the deficit.
