The Reds kept their Super Rugby title hopes alive for another week when they beat the Rebels 17-32 in Melbourne with a bonus point.

The result moves the Reds provisionally above the Brumbies who play the Force in Perth tomorrow.

The match was meant to be a celebration for Rebels captain Stirling Mortlock as well as Al Campbell who were playing their final Super Rugby game on Australian soil but the Rebels were unable to send them off with a victory.

Due to the closeness of the Reds battle with the Brumbies the Reds have to win all of their remaining matches play the Highlanders next weekend and then the Waratahs but they will have home advantage in both matches.

The Reds clinched the extra point with a try by replacement back Nick Frisby six minutes from time after earlier tries by Chris Feauai-Sautia, Dominic Shipperley and Adam Wallace-Harrison

Mike Harris landed three conversions and two penalties to keep the Reds comfortably in front of the Rebels after leading 24-3 at halftime.

The Rebels fought back to trail 27-17 with 13 minutes left after converted tries to Kurtley Beale and Lachlan Mitchell, but Frisby's late try saw off the Melbourne threat.

"First and foremost it was about getting the result and we did that in the first half but we dropped off a little bit in the second," Reds skipper Will Genia said.

"We got that fourth try which is very important in terms of the competition and we were pleased with the way we finished the game."

The Rebels will have concerns following the match as Wallabies James O'Connor and Kurtley Beale battled with injuries during the game.

O'Connor, playing his first match back after problems with a lacerated liver, looked lively before he was replaced six minutes after halftime with a hamstring strain, while Beale saw the match out in distress from a rib injury.

The Reds' kingpin fly-half Quade Cooper played the opening 40 minutes before he was replaced at halftime as he works his way back from a serious knee injury at last year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

The Rebels finish their season with a two-match tour to South Africa and matches against the Lions and Stormers.

Final Score Rebels 17 (3) Reds 32 (24).

Scorers

Rebels
Tries - K. Beale, L. Mitchell
Pen - J. O'Connor
Con - J. Huxley, K. Beale
Drop -
Cards -

Match Officials
Referee: Keith Brown
Assistant Ref 1:Andrew Lees
Assistant Ref 2:Richard Goswell
TMO: Matt Goddard

Teams

Rebels

15. Kurtley Beale, 14. Mark Gerrard, 13. Mitch Inman, 12. Stirling Mortlock (c), 11. Cooper Vuna, 10. James O'Connor, 9. Nick Phipps, 8. Gareth Delve, 7. Hugh Perrett, 6. Tom Chamberlain, 5. Hugh Pyle, 4. Cadeyrne Neville, 3. Jono Owen, 2. Adam Freier, 1. Nic Henderson.

Reserves: 16. Ged Robinson, 17. Rodney Blake, 18. Al Campbell, 19. Tim Davidson, 20. Nic Stirzaker, 21. Lachlan Mitchell, 22. Julian Huxley.

Reds

1. Greg Holmes, 2. Saia Faingaa, 3. James Slipper, 4. Rob Simmons, 5. Adam Wallace-Harrison (vc), 6. Jake Schatz, 7. Liam Gill, 8. Scott Higginbotham, 9. Will Genia (c), 10. Quade Cooper, 11. Chris F’Sautia, 12. Mike Harris, 13. Anthony Faingaa, 14. Dom Shipperley, 15. Luke Morahan

Replacements :16. James Hanson,17. Ben Daley,18. Radike Samo,19. Beau Robinson,25. Blake Enever,21. Ben Lucas,22. Nick Frisby