Melbourne Rebels coach Rod Macqueen is preparing his team for a fierce, physical clash with a Sharks side he rates the most aggressive in Super Rugby.

The Rebels are waiting on the fitness of three frontline players, halfback Sam Cordingley, lock Kevin O'Neill and winger Luke Rooney, with the likelihood veteran Cordingley will again be ruled out for Friday night's home clash.

The competition newcomers are battling to establish some consistent form after hefty losses to the NSW Waratahs and New Zealand's Chiefs sandwiched their breakthrough one-point win over the Brumbies.

They have their work cut out for them this week, with the Durban-based Sharks one of only two teams boasting three wins after the first three rounds.

The Sharks have the new South African wonderkid, 20-year-old Patrick Lambie, calling the shots from five-eighth.

But their big and rugged pack, featuring du Plessis brothers Bismarck and Jannie, plus Tendai "The Beast" Matawira in an all-Springboks frontrow, also has Macqueen's attention after seeing his own team struggle badly at times in the lineout and scrum.

"They've got very good set pieces and do the basics very, very well," said Macqueen.

"They are a great benchmark for us, as a team that's going to really put pressure on us as far as the basics are concerned.

"It's going to be a very aggressive team we're playing against - they'd be No.1 as far as aggression is concerned.

"We're going to see a very physical game and we've got to try and match them, that's going to be our role out there."

Macqueen has told his forwards they will carry the bulk of the responsibility on Friday night.

"Right now working on our combinations is going to be very important," he said.

"It's going to be up to the forwards to play well to give the backs a bit of room and give players like (scrumhalves Nick) Phipps and (Richard) Kingi opportunities."

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