A two-try haul from skipper Scott Higginbotham wasn't enough for the Melbourne Rebels to achieve a break-through win in South Africa, falling 25-21 to the Sharks in Durban.
The captain did his best to help his side to their first victory in the republic but the Rebels were hamstrung by the first-half dismissal of prop Laurie Weeks, leaving them to play over 50 minutes down a man.
Melbourne trailed 3-0 after an early penalty strike by five-eighth Lionel Cronje before Weeks got involved in a scuffle with Jannie du Plessis.
The Sharks prop struck Weeks across the back of the head as the pair jogged towards the play, but the Rebel retaliated with four punches, resulting in his red card while du Plessis was yellow-carded.
Five minutes later the home side was in when winger Sibusiso Sithole ran on to a ball at the back of the scrum and burrowed across the line with the assistance of his forwards.
