The injury-hit Melbourne Rebels are happy to be leaving Durban with some Super Rugby competition points after Reece Hodge kicked a penalty after fulltime to snatch a 9-9 draw with the Sharks.

It was the second successive week Hodge's boot proved decisive after the fullback nailed a late penalty to upset the Brumbies last round.

The draw was a fair result given Sharks five-eighth Curwin Bosch had given his side the lead for the first time two minutes earlier.

Second in their conference, the Sharks hadn't lost at home in seven games and were rated huge favourites to continue that record but the Rebels made life difficult with some desperate defence.

In a scrappy, error-ridden display, neither team made it across the tryline, with two red cards handed out - one to Melbourne skipper Nic Stirzaker.

The halfback was yellow-carded in the fourth minute of play for a deliberate knock-down and received a second in the 68th minute for the same cynical tactic, resulting in his sending-off.

Sharks centre Andre Esterhuizen was sent off in the 16th minute for a dangerous tackle on Melbourne's Sefa Naivalu, dumping the winger on his head after the whistle. While his team led 6-3 at halftime and into the dying minutes, Rebels coach Tony McGahan felt satisfied to escape with any points against a below-par Sharks outfit.

Melbourne conceded a stunning 18 penalties to seven, which cruelled their chances of their first win in South Africa.

"Considering how little possession we had in the second half I felt we were pretty lucky to get away with the points," McGahan said.

"We were lucky they missed a few kicks and they had a number of opportunities to get across the line and it was only our resolute defence that kept us in it."

McGahan said his team failed to get past two phases in attack in the second half and put any pressure on the home team.

"For us, we'll leave with two points; we would have liked to have got the four but with our lack of possession and time in the opposition half, we'll take that."

McGahan felt it was difficult to expect a lot from the Rebels with 20 players unavailable through injury.

"We had six forwards in our squad here who aren't even on contracts," he said.

"We've got two blokes in our pack in No.7 Will Miller, and the reserve backrower who only turned up last week from club rugby and we'd never met them before and that's how short we are on troops.

"We've been decimated by injury."

Winger Marika Koroibete injured his back in the gym through the week and was a late withdrawal although is expected to play next week against the Kings in Port Elizabeth.

Injured prop Toby Smith, flanker Colby Fainga'a and lock Dom Day are also likely to be fit.