'You are only as good as your last game,' JP Pietesen tells Sharks ahead of Stormers showdown

Sharks coach JP Pietersen says that from the moment the players got into the change room after beating the Stormers last week, the discussion has been about doing the double on their coastal rivals.

The Sharks shocked the log-leading Capetonians 30-19, but they won’t have the element of surprise up their sleeve for the rematch at Kings Park on Saturday, 5pm kick-off.

“We spoke about it straight after the game. I challenged the guys to repeat the performance in Durban,” Pietersen said. “I told them, 'You’re only as good as your last game.' On Monday, we discussed it again and made ‘doubling up’ the theme of the week.

Having won last week, there is the question of whether the Sharks will be feeling more pressure to win now that they are back at home.

“No, we don’t see it like that,” said Pietersen. “If you look at the log, we are eleventh, and they are in second place. We need to win every URC game to give ourselves a shot at the playoffs.

“We are desperate for a win, and we know we have to perform. The Stormers have lost only one game; they are a very good side, and we have to take our game up a level if we are to win,” the coach added.

“It’s a clean slate on Saturday, and the only difference is we’re playing at home, and they’re playing away. The big question is, can we double it up?"

While the Sharks obviously got many things right last week at the Cape Town Stadium, Pietersen said there was one area in particular where his players were poor.

“The penalty count against us was too high,” he said. “We can definitely improve our discipline. We gave away too many penalties. We could have controlled that better. We gave away some soft penalties that gave them entries into our 22. It is one of the key things we spoke about this week."

With the Durban humidity certain to curtail adventurous play from both sides, Pietersen said the tight phases will play a major role in determining the match outcome.

“The Stormers pride themselves on set-piece, scrums and mauls, and that’s why hooker Fez Mbatha is back in the team,” Pietersen said.

“With the humidity, there will be some errors with the slippery ball, so it’ll be a scrum battle, lineouts, mauling, and high-ball contesting.

“January and February are the hottest months in Durban. Players get paid to play in different conditions, but, yes, skill sets will be challenged.”

Pietersen says confidence is returning to the Sharks camp.

“Our performances are improving — we’re getting the results,” he said. “Andre Esterhuizen is leading the team well, and we have a good leadership group that leads week in and week out and in training. I must give a massive compliment to the leaders in the group for keeping up the standard in training, and high standards in training transfer to the matches. Hard work pays off."

The Stormers bring a reshuffled team to Kings Park, with the notable inclusion of powerhouse No 8 Evan Roos.

“Evan is massive for them,” Pietersen acknowledged. “They have won every game in which he has played. This week, they spoke highly of him in their press conference. He brings energy and gives them a go-forward. He consistently shows that he is a great loose forward.”

Teams for Kings Park

SHARKS – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Jaco Williams, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Ox Nche.

Bench: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Nick Hatton, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Jurenzo Julius.

STORMERS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (c), 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adre Smith, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Oli Kebble.

Bench: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Stefan Ungerer, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Warrick Gelant.