Melbourne proved no match for the champion Crusaders while their hopes of resurrecting their Super Rugby season hit a major hurdle with star halfback Will Genia suffering a knee injury.
Seta Tamanivalu dives over for a try. Photo: Photosport
The Rebels crashed to a 55-10 defeat at AAMI Park, which was their fifth successive loss to continue their freefall down the ladder and biggest-ever loss at home.
It also made it 37 losses by Australian teams in a row to New Zealand opposition.
It was always going to be a big ask for the Rebels to upset the overall ladder leaders and despite trailing by just three points at halftime, they never really looked in with a shot.
Making matters worse, Genia limped off just before halftime, with the early diagnosis a medial ligament issue which could threaten his availability for the Wallabies' June Test series against Ireland.
Genia had missed Melbourne's previous two games with a hamstring injury.
The Rebels trailed 13-10 at the break despite the visitors, with two players yellow-carded, dominating every aspect of the opening stanza.
Melbourne's defence was off, missing 24 tackles, while their attack looked mostly one-dimensional, often looking for a safe option rather than using their best weapons in the backline.
The Crusaders built a 10-3 lead after Mitchell Drummond took a quick tap and then his halves partner Richie Mo'unga threw a long ball out to Seta Tamanivalu to cross in the corner.
Athletic hooker Andrew Makalio then scored his first of two tries in an impressive showing.
The Rebels' only try was scored in the 33rd minute when Drummond dropped the ball in a scramble for possession, with Rebels centre Reece Hodge taking advantage to touch down.
The Crusaders shifted to another gear in the second half, adding 42 points with Makalio making a statement just five minutes in.
The scoreboard then continued to tick over with Jack Goodhue, Peter Samu, Bryn Hall and Wyatt Crockett all getting in on the action before Manasa Mataele's 80th-minute try took them past the half-century mark.
Earlier last night, the red-hot Jaguares lodged one of the great moments in their short Super Rugby history by stunning the Chiefs 23-19 in Rotorua.
Charlie Ngatai of the Chiefs offloads the ball in a tackle during the Super Rugby match between the Waikato Chiefs and the Jaguares of Argentina at the Rotorua International Stadium. Photo: AFP / MICHAEL BRADLEY
In a display of power and efficiency, the South Americans strangled the life out of the disappointing Chiefs to record a fourth successive win for the first time since their introduction to the competition in 2016.
All four have come on the road in Australia and New Zealand, suggesting they are emerging as a force to be reckoned with.
After losing four of their first five games this season, the Jaguares have unearthed a formula based on stifling defence and forward muscle which frustrated the hosts.
The Chiefs' cause wasn't helped by losing forwards Michael Allardice and Liam Messam to contentious yellow cards in the space of two minutes early in the second half.
Messam's dismissal was for an innocuous act deemed a professional foul by referee Mike Fraser, who awarded a penalty try to push the visitors eight points clear.
The Chiefs defended well with 13 players but struggled to crack the visitors after that until debut reserve flanker Jesse Parete crossed after the hooter to earn a bonus point.
Damian McKenzie's four penalties put the hosts 12-10 ahead at halftime, with winger Ramiro Moyano having crossed early.
The Jaguares have given themselves a shot at winning the South African conference, closing to within seven points of the leading Lions with five games remaining against lower-ranked opponents.
A third loss leaves the Chiefs in danger of falling from fifth place overall and losing touch with the three Kiwi conference teams ahead of them.
-AAP
