Melbourne Rebels are using memories of the most humilating day in their history as motivation for their clash with Super Rugby leaders the Sharks at AAMI Park on Friday night.

The Rebels were thumped 64-7 – their biggest-ever losing margin – by the Sharks in their round six meeting in Durban last year.

Compounding the embarrassing scoreline, teammates Kurtley Beale and Cooper Vuna were involved in a late night punch-up with both sent home.

A year on, lock Hugh Pyle said there had been a large turnover of personnel since, including the two combatants, but the match outcome still stung.

“The blokes who are still around definitely reflect on that and use that as a lot of motivation for this coming week,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone who played in that game was happy with their performance.

“There’s not a lot of (Rebels) people who played that game going around and it’s a different coach so it’s a very different vibe going into the game and a different structure and game plan.”

The Rebels are coming off a bye and before that a rousing six-point win over the in-form Western Force.

The Sharks, who are the runaway South African conference leaders, suffered only their second loss of the season when upset by the Highlanders 34-18 at home at the weekend.

With Jake White at the coaching helm for his first visit back to Australia since quitting the Brumbies, who they face next round, the Sharks are sure to aim up.

“The Highlanders have been playing some really good footy and to get the win at Durban was an extremely big feat,” Pyle said.

“But on the back of that the Sharks aren’t going to be happy with their performance so they will be coming out firing this week.”

Pyle said the Rebels needed to match the physicality of the South Africans.

“They’re going to be coming hard and tough so we’ve got to go harder and go tougher.”

The Rebels could be without hard-nosed prop Toby Smith who has a shoulder injury.

Smith is rated only a 50:50 proposition but will be given until Friday to prove his fitness.