MELBOURNE Rebels may have disappointed, but the real loser on Friday night was AAMI Park and the embarrassing state of its maligned surface.

The Hurricanes scored six tries to two to register an emphatic 38-13 Super Rugby win over the Rebels.

But the big talking point was the state of the surface, with large sections of it left resembling little more than a sandpit after scrums tore the diseased turf to shreds in little time.

It has been an ongoing issue this year, with the usually reliable rectangular ground buckling under the fixture demands of football, rugby league and rugby union over the past few months.

A grass disease affected sections of the turf earlier this year and it continues to cause problems, as Friday night proved.

The timing could not be worse for AAMI Park officials with Melbourne City to host an A-League elimination final against Perth on Sunday.

Hurricanes skipper Dane Coles slammed the state of the surface after the match.

“It is actually quite dangerous,” he said.

“There’s quite a bit of pressure going into those scrums and both teams were sort of losing their feet.

Hurricanes winger Julian Savea tries to fix the AAMI Park turf. Photo: Colleen Petch. Source: News Corp Australia

“There were a few collapses and I’m not quite sure what the solution is, but it was a bit dangerous out there but you just have to get on with it.”

The Rebels now possess a 4-3 record after being torched by an exciting and well-drilled Hurricanes outfit.

It was a heavy defeat for a side still trying to prove it can match it with the best of the best.

As tipped, there were a number of late changes with loose-head prop Toby Smith and centre Mitch Inman both late withdrawals.

It didn’t affect the Rebels early with the home side all over the Hurricanes in the first 15 minutes.

They hammered the Hurricanes’ line with ferocity and nearly had the opening try through Adam Thomson, but the New Zealander was held up.

There was no denying Melbourne moments later when a Tamati Ellison grubber kick found winger Dom Shipperley in the corner.

The scrum rips up the turf at AAMI Park. Photo: Colleen Petch. Source: News Corp Australia

Shipperley’s task was made much simpler when Hurricanes winger Julian Savea slipped in the sandpit while chasing the ball.

The Hurricanes responded emphatically with two brilliantly executed tries in little time.

First Victor Vito crossed after an electric break by fly-half Beauden Barrett, and then a Jason Woodward chip and chase led to a try to winger Cory Jane.

The Rebels then gifted the Hurricanes another five-pointer when Barrett made an intercept and streaked away for the easiest for tries.

A fourth try for the half was scored right on halftime when Woodward barged his way over in the corner to consign the Rebels to an 18-point deficit at the break.

The Rebels displayed more grit in the second half, but still failed to make any ground on the visitors.

Barrett crossed for his second before the Rebels were able to salvage a late consolation try right on fulltime through winger Cam Crawford.

The Rebels are back at AAMI Park next Friday night to face the Cheetahs.

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