Melbourne - The Melbourne Rebels kept up their unlikely push for a Super Rugby playoff spot by scoring a bonus-point 42-22 win over the struggling Auckland Blues.
Skipper Scott Higginbotham crossed for one of the Rebels' five tries to become the top try-scoring forward in Super Rugby with his 30th effort as the hosts picked up their sixth win from 11 matches this season.
They sit third in the Australian Conference, three points behind the leading ACT Brumbies.
The Blues have won just twice this term and were quickly trailing again as flanker Colby Fainga'a finished off for the first try in the 11th minute after a strong counter from an interception.
The Blues hit back after a brilliant dummy by hooker Keven Mealamu set centre Francis Saili clear and his pass to the wing allowed Melani Nanai to flamboyantly dive over for a try.
But prop Toby Smith showed pace and brawn to bulldoze over for a second Rebels try after a quickly taken lineout just before the break.
The Blues kept coming, though, and Jamison Gibson-Park wasted little time after coming on in the second period to cross for score when he dived over from close range to bring the Kiwis within one.
Higginbotham crossed for another try to stretch the lead in the 51st minute, only for the persistent Blues to strike back with a score via centre George Moala to trail by six and set up a tense final 13 minutes.
However, a slack Blues effort from the restart allowed centre Dom Shipperley to scoot through after Higginbotham's tap down was deemed not to have gone forward by the television match official to kill the game.
There was still time for flyhalf Jack Debreczeni to add a fifth try with two minutes remaining, which Mike Harris converted to take his tally with the boot to 17. – Reuters