Sharks
28
Match Complete
Rebels
14
| M. Mapimpi |  | 57 | ||
| R. D. Preez |  | 52 | ||
| R. D. Preez | | 51 | ||
| R. D. Preez |  | 36 | ||
| 32 | | Q. Cooper | ||
| 30 | | J. Maddocks | ||
| R. D. Preez | | 26 | ||
| 21 | | Q. Cooper | ||
| 20 | | T. English | ||
| R. D. Preez | | 16 | ||
| R. D. Preez | | 6 | ||
| D. D. Preez | | 6 |
| 3 | Tries | 2 | ||
| 2 | Conversions | 2 | ||
| 3 | Penalty Goals | 0 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
Match result:
The Rebels have copped another loss on the road in South Africa, going down to the Sharks by 14 points.
Final score
Sharks 28
Rebels 14
Match preview:
The heavily-penalised Melbourne Rebels are in the subtropical city of Durban this week, trying to take valuable log points from a fixture against the big, hard-hitting Sharks. Join The Roar for live scores and a live blog of the match, starting from 2:15am AEDT.
The Sharks have been up and down this season, at times showing an almost perfect combination of power, pace, kicking, and finishing, only to exhibit listlessness and aimlessness in attack.
There is nobody faster in the competition than the Sharks fullback, Aphelele Fassi. Even his name sounds fast.
The back three of the Sharks deserve more ball, with strike runner Makazole Mapimpi on the left, and aggressive Sbu Nkosi on the right wing.
However, Robert du Preez is a big flyhalf who likes to take the ball into contact or boot the leather off it, and just next to him is Andre ‘the Giant’ Esterhuizen, who would have been good in Warrenball, so chances for wings are limited.
Clever Bok outside centre Lukhanyo Am will need to set the flyers free.
Will Genia is not playing this week, so the Sharks may have the advantage at the base, with intelligent Louis Schreuder.
Still, the Rebels show a renewed ability to score tries, with mercurial Quade Cooper and livewire Jack Maddocks in their attacking spine.
Billy Meakes is in top form at No.12, but will need to survive Esterhuizen’s choke tackles, among the best in the business.
Coach Dave Wessels has Reece Hodge at wing, which offers the Sharks a chance: can he really keep Mapimpi in front of him, out wide?
The packs look fairly well matched. The Sharks should boss the scrums, but might struggle at lineout time with Ross Haylett-Petty back in his city of birth, and the breakdown shapes to be a real war.
Maybe the Electric Warthog, Akker van der Merwe can provide that extra spark in general play.
The penalty count was the story last week, but it’s been that way for over a year now. The Rebels attract all refs: there’s something in the way they play that gets them heavily and disproportionately pinged.
Maybe they need to form more rucks, instead of relying on tackling.
Sharks by a few; probably close until the last ten minutes.
Where: Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa
When: Sunday, 24 March, at 2:15 a.m. AEST
Ranks: Rebels 3rd (+12 PD); Sharks 8th (+26)
Sharks
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Tendai Mtwarira. Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Gideon Koegelenburg, 20 Luke Stringer, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Curwin Bosch.
Rebels
15 Jack Maddocks, 14 Reece Hodge, 13 Sione Tuipulotu, 12 Billy Meakes, 11 Tom English, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Michael Ruru, 8 Angus Cottrell, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Luke Jones, 5 Matt Phillip, 4 Ross Haylett-Petty, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Anaru Rangi, 1 Matt Gibson. Subs: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Rob Leota, 20 Brad Wilkin, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Campbell Magnay, 23 TBC.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
I was involved in a conversation about "Factory" Seconds reffing performance as the 16th lion on the field last week. Rasta's name was brought up for his excellence, and he didn't disappoint. There was some chicanery missed, as there is in most games, but I didn't go away feeling that there was an imbalance.
pm
Roar Rookie
Exactly my thoughts; good decisions and good communication, one of the better refereed games I've seen in a while
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Sorry riddler but editors torpedoed me on my response. I was referring to the sin taxes on my lifestyle.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Fionn, Quade Cooper is one hell of a good player. He has that x factor which is rare. As a South African I am seriously wary of him.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Good question Harry, their planning for this tour sucked. Only arrived in JHB on Wednesday. Played 40 minutes of sublime rugby then ran outta gas/oxygen. Lions are pre-programmed to take advantage. Then to Durbs, no way they could repeat that magic. Chiefs showed em the way. Wessels of all shud have known better.
riddler
Roar Rookie
mate you lost me on syntaxes! is that a new type of tax?
riddler
Roar Rookie
i have praised him. it is not a common thing. i admit. unfortunately i missed the first half. no personal issue with him as i don't know him. i do wish him the best because when he is plays well and is on form he is a treat to watch. my issue is that when that goal becomes bigger than the team picture. as for the title win i think beau robinson, radke etc were equally or more important. but i am a piggie and the glory boys get far too much press!! ;)
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Hey Riddle, our English is cool. We may mix up our syntaxes, it's a cultural thing and definitely mix our metaphors. Hey... We try.
Julz
Guest
No surprises here. I had Sharks winning by 13, almost spot on.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
The Rebels luck ran out the last 2 weeks. They've had, IMO, 3 games they were very fortunate (lucky) to win. But they DID win them. Too many pundits have pumped their tyres up because of Quade, Genia and other Wallabies in their team. No doubt Will was missed as was DHP. Coleman not so much. Long season to go.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Overall, I thought the Ref, Rasta had a great game. He takes no rubbish and is great at communication with the players. He is much better and objective than the top Refs .
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
"not that impressed with Jackson’s reffing in the Stormera game".....only watched bits of that one so far, but caught that drift, I must say. Hope we don't get him in any of the WB RWC games.... not that we look like being involved beyond the group stages atm.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Rebels bench wasn't as good this game. Re the ref - a few calls I disagreed with, but overall fine. par for the course. I'd take that every game, esp in SA Harry!
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Riddler, to be fair I’ve not ever since you praise anything Quade has ever done, even when he has a blinder and is being praised by neutral commentators. I really don’t know, but do you have a personal issue with Quade? It seems to be more than a professional lack of interest in his game. Or maybe you’re just disappointed by his poor performances in the 2011 WC still. I would have thought that as a Reds fan you would be thankful given he was the single most important player in the Reds’ 2011 title.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Odd that they managed to run over the Brumbies in the 2nd half. Then haven't managed anything like that since.
riddler
Roar Rookie
how beautiful the world can be catchy!! :)
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Regarding big bruising raw boned brain-alive back rowers, Riddler, we are in utter agreement. We have just moved from ‘agree to disagree’ to ‘agree to agree’????
riddler
Roar Rookie
that's fair enough catchy. your opinion and i respect it. my opinion is that we have a number of issues. 10 just being one of them. for me, personally, our piggies are a bigger issue than our 10. all 10s prefer front foot ball. watch sexton in the whole of the 6 nations, throwing toys out of the pram because the irish won't getting him front foot ball. russell against the poms, had a terrible first half, scots started keeping the ball and getting go forward he was superb. and vice versa for farrell with england. we spend article and article and comment and comment about foley vs cooper. yet neither will do any good without front foot ball. give me an 8 of any sort of high international standard. we haven't had one since kefu. yet we can produce 7s non stop? we haven't a hooker who can throw straight for more than 80% of their throws. we don't have a 6 like a wilson for england. big fan of fardy but he was fading in his last year. we have rodda and poey. the rest will have everyone with various opinions/preferences/choices.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Riddler, Whilst this may be true “lately foley on this site, and gagr, he has had nobody in his corner or giving him a fair go, ” lately- But, over the last five years Foley has had one bloke in his corner, giving more, much more than a fair go, to the detriment of Wallaby attack and results, imo.