Sharks coach JP Pietersen couldn't hide his grin after his squad carved up the Stormers with a sharp 36-24 victory at Kings Park, propelling them from a middling 11th to a more respectable eighth on the URC log. This win not only boosted their standings but also handed the Stormers their second consecutive derby defeat, a sweet result for the KwaZulu-Natal natives.
The match was a roller-coaster early on, with momentum swinging like a pendulum, but Pietersen was all praises for his team's lethal efficiency under pressure. "When we got into the 22 today, we were brutal," he remarked. "We converted points. It was the same in Cape Town last week – when we got into the 22 we were direct, aggressive and we came away with points. That was pleasing."
"That's what I asked from the boys today. When I took over, we weren't in a great place. What I want to see is fight – not talking, but doing – and making the badge proud. You could see that in the second half."
Despite trailing twice, the Sharks displayed a commendable comeback spirit, a quality Pietersen has emphasized since taking over the helm from John Plumtree. Pietersen also underlined the significance of discipline and controlling the game's territory, particularly against a Stormers team that looked dangerous but failed to capitalize fully.
"What pleased me was that we didn't give away soft penalties like we did last week, where teams got easy entries into our 22," he explained. "Today we were better at not giving them those entries. They went for goal, but we managed that pressure better."
The standout moment came from Sharks winger Jaco Williams, who not only scored twice but also sealed the deal with a critical late try. Chasing a speculative kick into the Stormers' in-goal, Williams outpaced fullback Warrick Gelant to touch down, a move that Pietersen admired for its sheer determination. "You don’t need to chase that kick – you could stop and let it go – but he chased it anyway and got a try from it," Pietersen noted. "That just shows what it means to the group. It shows that we care for each other."
With some bruising derbies behind them, the Sharks are looking forward to a well-earned rest. "We definitely need some time off," admitted Pietersen. "We’ve played two very physical games back to back and the boys were sore from last week. These 10 to 12 days will be important for recovery." The Sharks are set to return to action against the Lions at Ellis Park on February 21, followed by a face-off with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld a week later.
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Sharks coach JP Pietersen couldn't hide his grin after his squad carved up the Stormers with a sharp 36-24 victory at Kings Park, propelling them from a middling 11th to a more respectable eighth on the URC log. This win not only boosted their standings but also handed the Stormers their second consecutive derby defeat, a sweet result for the KwaZulu-Natal natives.
The match was a roller-coaster early on, with momentum swinging like a pendulum, but Pietersen was all praises for his team's lethal efficiency under pressure. "When we got into the 22 today, we were brutal," he remarked. "We converted points. It was the same in Cape Town last week – when we got into the 22 we were direct, aggressive and we came away with points. That was pleasing."
"That's what I asked from the boys today. When I took over, we weren't in a great place. What I want to see is fight – not talking, but doing – and making the badge proud. You could see that in the second half."
Despite trailing twice, the Sharks displayed a commendable comeback spirit, a quality Pietersen has emphasized since taking over the helm from John Plumtree. Pietersen also underlined the significance of discipline and controlling the game's territory, particularly against a Stormers team that looked dangerous but failed to capitalize fully.
"What pleased me was that we didn't give away soft penalties like we did last week, where teams got easy entries into our 22," he explained. "Today we were better at not giving them those entries. They went for goal, but we managed that pressure better."
The standout moment came from Sharks winger Jaco Williams, who not only scored twice but also sealed the deal with a critical late try. Chasing a speculative kick into the Stormers' in-goal, Williams outpaced fullback Warrick Gelant to touch down, a move that Pietersen admired for its sheer determination. "You don’t need to chase that kick – you could stop and let it go – but he chased it anyway and got a try from it," Pietersen noted. "That just shows what it means to the group. It shows that we care for each other."
With some bruising derbies behind them, the Sharks are looking forward to a well-earned rest. "We definitely need some time off," admitted Pietersen. "We’ve played two very physical games back to back and the boys were sore from last week. These 10 to 12 days will be important for recovery." The Sharks are set to return to action against the Lions at Ellis Park on February 21, followed by a face-off with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld a week later.