The Rebels were left to rue a missed opportunity after a loss to the Bulls.
What are we talking about after their 32-17 defeat?
1. Will it be a groundhog year for Rebels?
The 2019 season is beginning to look a lot like 2018 for the Rebels as the rounds tick on.
An eye-catching start to the season and a comfortable lead at the top of the conference by the halfway point of the season.
And then, when it looks like they’ll canter into finals, they drop one, two, three games in a row and put themselves right on the edge.
A month ago, the Rebels were two games clear on top of the Australian conference and now they’re one point behind the conference-leading Brumbies and they face an arguably tougher run home than their southern rivals.
While there’s still a chance there will be two Australian teams in the final eight, the only way they can guarantee a spot is with the conference win.
The Rebels are yet to prove they can stand up to the toughest tests in Super Rugby and the final four weeks of this season will be incredibly revealing.
2. Koroibete delivers timely display
Marika Koroibete has had an indifferent season to this point but he was one of the Rebels' best in Friday night's clash.
The winger had his first double of the season and after a try last weekend against the Reds, his first run of consecutive matches with a try to his name.
Koroibete broke an early deadlock with an eighth minute score and kept the Rebels in the game with a score just after half-time.
A bone-crunching hit in the second half triggered an injection of energy into the Rebels' outfit and though it ultimately fell short, it was a timely reminder of his skills.
He outpointed his direct opponent Conal Hendricks for much of the night
With a Wallabies camp coming up on Sunday, Koroibete's display could not have come at a better time.
3. Pollard will be missed
Bulls flyhalf Handre Pollard is set to join Montpellier after the 2019 Rugby World Cup and Friday night’s performance reminded the Pretoria side what they’ll be missing.
Pollard was pivotal for the Bulls, pulling the strings across the park and tallying 17 of the Bulls' 32 points at AAMI Park.
His game management was critical as the game wore on and though he wasn't as accurate in front of the sticks as he often is, Pollard still managed to punish the Rebels with points.
The 25-year-old established himself as South Africa's starting 10 in last year's international season and is shaping up to hold that position in the Rugby World Cup
All of the Super Rugby nations are losing players after the World Cup and Pollard will be one of those whose absence is most noticed next year.
4. Overseas opponents causing Rebels headaches
The Rebels have found success against Australian opponents this season but when it comes to overseas foes, their form is looking dire.
Friday night’s loss to the Bulls was their fifth loss from seven matches against foreign opponents this season, leaving them with a 6-6 record with four rounds to go.
Their only wins against overseas teams have come against the Highlanders and the Sunwolves.
Outside of that, the Rebels have truly struggled against offshore sides.
There have been some unlucky moments, like their bizarre loss in Johannesburg against the Lions, but generally they have been regulation losses.
If the Rebels want to be a finals contender, or indeed go beyond week one of finals, they’re almost certainly going to have to beat a team from outside of their conference and/or overseas.
A one from six record just won’t cut it in sudden-death rugby.
5. Sevens stars make the switch in South Africa
Bulls winger Rosko Specman showed off a bag of tricks against the Rebels, harking back to his background in Sevens.
It’s not the first time he’s added to his highlights reel in his switch to XVs and he’s certainly not alone in the South African conference when it comes to Sevens converts making some waves.
The 2016 Rio Olympian is one of a handful of ex-Blitzboks who are now dipping their toes in Super Rugby ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Fellow winger Seabelo Senatla has shown some flashes of brilliance in his cameos for the Stormers in his first full-time stint in XVs after juggling both forms of the game in recent seasons.
It’s not just wingers making the jump either - Lions flanker Kwagga Smith is carving out an impressive career in XVs after making the move.
