Hollywoodbets Sharks will face another kind of pressure as they will be playing in the playoffs away at the EPCR Challenge Cup this weekend.
The Sharks will face Connacht from Ireland in the Last 16 match which will be held at the Dexcom Stadium, in the city of Galway, on Friday at 9 pm.
This team from KwaZulu-Natal regained hope of entering the playoffs in another competition, the United Rugby Championship, by winning two consecutive group games.
They beat Munster 45-0 and beat Cardiff City 21-15, but both games were played at home at Kings Park Stadium.
They will meet another team that will be looking to continue the good streak they are still holding in the URC. Connacht won all three games they played in March in the URC, defeating Scarlets, Ulster and Ospreys.
“We played well in the last two games. The most important thing when you have won a difficult game is to continue to maintain a high level in the next game. I thank the players because they were able to do that in the last game,” said Sharks coach, JP Pietersen.
“We will analyze our game again, look at where we can improve, and look at what we did well. We marked well, we scored two tries against a dangerous Cardiff team that can score different types of tries.”
Sharks’ preparations were hampered by injuries to defenders including Luan Giliomee, who has played two games, Aphelele Fassi, Francois Venter, Grant Williams, Jaco Williams, Jurenzo Julius, Litelihle Bester and Siya Masuku.
Pietersen, who played more than 180 games back at the Sharks before being lured away in 2021, said he was worried about injuries to players.
“It’s difficult because we are ordered to be defenders. I’ve thought that maybe I’ll have to wash my socks again and go back to the field to help the team,” said Pietersen with a laugh.
“That tests the team and shows how strong it is. It’s unfortunate that Giliomee also came out injured. It disturbs us but we have to be strong. It gives the next player a chance to prove himself,” Pietersen concluded.