Marika Koroibete’s try was not enough to hold the fort as the Rebels went down 24-36 to the Sharks this afternoon.
Sharks winger Makazole Mapimpi orchestrated the match scoring two tries for the side.
The Sharks’ back three, flagged by coach Dave Wessels as a threat pre-game were destructive from the start and wingers Mapimpi and Madosh Tambwe scored key tries.
Sharks led 22-10 at half time.
The Rebels put up a gutsy performance to catch up in the second half but errors deprived the side of a comeback.
These errors gave leeway for the Sharks who seized and capitalized them which found Andre Esterhuizen and Curwin Bosch over the Rebels try line.
An Andrew Deegan penalty narrowed the margin to two points but the Sharks returned serve just minutes later.
In a physically dominant display, the Sharks continuously put the pressure on the Rebels in attack all afternoon.
Prop Thomas du Toit was pulled down just short of the line and a sneaky pass out of the hands of Fassi into winger Madosh Tambwe was cleared by the TMO to grant the South Africans their third five-pointer.
The Rebels travel to Dunedin next weekend to take on the Highlanders as they hunt for a second Super Rugby win.
[Source:Rugby.com.au]
