Rebels vs Sharks Match Report

Sat, Feb 22, 2020, 6:15 AM
Rebels Media
by Rebels Media
Naisarani tries to muscle his way through: Getty Images
Naisarani tries to muscle his way through: Getty Images

The Melbourne Rebels have fallen to the Sharks in Ballarat this afternoon 36-24.

In picture perfect conditions, the match marked the first Rebels home fixture outside of Melbourne and three tries in the opening fifteen minutes suggested the game would be an open and attacking contest. 

In just the 4th minute of play, Aphelele Fassi found some space in the backfield with a deft grubber and the recaptured kick was distributed to an unmarked Makazole Mapimpi for the opening score. 

Marika Koroibete responded three minutes later after a tip pass from flyhalf Andrew Deegan on his run debut found the Fijian speedster bustling through a midfield hole. 

The Sharks responded through their maul and when the Rebel forwards repelled them from a 5-metre lineout raid, it would usually be safe to assume the hard work had been done.

Centre Andre Esterhuizen disagreed, surprisingly finding space down the short side to gist the men from Durban five more points. 

A barnstorming run by Michael Wells brought the crowd into the game after he swatted away Curwin Bosch like a fly and the front foot advantage afforded the Rebels a penalty which was coolly slotted by Deegan. 

A lineout miscue by the Rebels allowed prop Thomas Du Toit to find himself with ball in hand at the tail of the lineout and no one in front of him. His thirty-metre jaunt was interrupted 30cm from the tryline, but the retreating Rebels defence could only watch on as a questionable cut pass to an unmarked Madosh Tambwe allowed the visitors to score right on halftime. 

The game was turned on its head when Marika Koroibete was lifted in a rash tackle by Sharks hooker Kerron Van Vuuren, resulting in the Durban man being sent to the bin.

He would be joined in the naughty corner by Sharks wing Madosh Tambwe moments later after cynical play defending his try line. 

With two extra men, Koroibete fancied his chances of doubling his return for the day, but when he was chopped down centimetres from the line, it was Isi Naisarani who cleaned up the loose pill and crossed for the try. 

With their full complement of players back on the field, the Sharks looked a different threat and returned to their powerful forward pack to turn the screws.

Whilst the big men got them in useful territory, it was the hot feet of Mapimipi that dealt the telling blow when he danced his way over the chalk from close range. 

Mapimipi would turn provider moments later, when a turnover on the Sharks own try line was raced ninety-nine metres upfield. Having crossed the chalk, the Sharks wing unselfishly handed the ball over to his flyhalf Bosch for the killer blow.   

Rebels Hooker Anaru Rangi would at least give the hosts something to smile about; capitalising on an Angus Cottrell intercept to pinch a try at the death. 

REBELS 24

Tries: Koroibete, Naisarani, Rangi

Penalties: Deegan

Goals: Deegan (3) 

SHARKS 36

Tries: Mapimpi (2), Esterhusizen, Tambwe, Bosch

Penalties: Bosch

Goals: Bosch (4) 

 

Halftime: 22-10 (Sharks)

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