ALTHOUGH Hollywoodbets Sharks have shown signs of awakening following the full employment of JP Pietersen as head coach but this Durban team is the one that seems to be struggling to surpass all South African teams in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
When the Sharks hired Pietersen, the excitement did not end with the fans, but the team started to get results that they did not know under the hand of John Plumtree, such as driving the DHL Stormers in Cape Town.
While that was being enjoyed, problems started including the Sharks not finishing the opponents or catching them and the players making unnecessary mistakes.
This has been putting the Sharks back on the log. Now the chances of getting into the playoffs are slim.
After 12 URC games, the Sharks have managed to collect 24 points which puts them in 11th place on the log.
This does not only embarrass Pietersen but it is interpreted as the fact that among the teams representing South Africa in this competition, the Sharks are the ones holding the brake and the South African Rugby Union (Saru) sent them.
According to the Sharks squad, this team should be counted in the front since they have all the Bhobokhoko players who are the core including Siya Kolisi and his deputies Eben Etzebeth and Bongi Mbonambi.
Due to the agreements between the teams that lead the players and Saru, the way they play is controlled by the country’s rugby authorities, which is one of the problems affecting the success of the Sharks.
“It’s a shame that we’re in this position on the log when we’re playing well and tied one of the strongest squads, almost all of them,” said Pietersen to the Sharks press team.
“We know the problems we are facing and our skulls are all strong enough to understand what we have to do to turn things around,” said Pietersen.
The Sharks will return to the field for the URC against Munster of Ireland on March 21, at the Hollywoodbets King’s Park Stadium, Durban.