If there was one theme that stood out for JP Pietersen after the Sharks’ gritty United Rugby Championship win over Cardiff on Friday night, it was not flair — nor even the first-half surge that broke the game wide open — but resilience.
In suffocating Durban humidity, where handling errors were inevitable and momentum swings frequent, the Sharks displayed a quality that has too often been questioned: the ability to stay in the fight.
“Normally we would have given up and given the opposition easy tries,” Pietersen admitted post-match. “But now we’re chasing back, making tackles. That shows the growth in what we’re doing.”
It is a telling shift. Cardiff, who are dangerous from anywhere, applied sustained pressure and carved out line breaks, particularly during a spell where they clawed their way back with two quick tries. In previous outings, that might have triggered a collapse. This time, the Sharks bent but did not break.
“Defensively we were good. To concede only two tries against a team like that is massive for us,” Pietersen said.
That defensive steel has been underpinned by a leadership group growing in authority. Captain André Esterhuizen has led from the front, supported by Ethan Hooker, Vincent Tshituka, and Emile van Heerden.
“There’s a group around André that’s leading really well,” Pietersen said.
Composure, however, remains a work in progress. The Sharks created enough chances in the second half to put the result beyond doubt and secure the bonus point but were repeatedly undone by small errors — often just a final pass that would not stick in the heavy conditions.
“The ball was slippery, like a bar of soap,” Pietersen explained. “We were this close every time to the line, just one pass away.”
For Pietersen, those frustrations form part of a broader learning curve. The next step lies in sharpening decision-making, particularly around territory and game management, ahead of a demanding tour.
“What we need to work on is how we control the kicking and territory game, and staying composed in the 22 to come away with points.”
Squad depth will also come under scrutiny, with injuries continuing to bite — youngster Luan Giliomee being the latest casualty in the backline.
“I was maybe thinking I must put my boots back on just to give us a boost,” Pietersen joked.
Yet even that challenge is framed as an opportunity.
“Injuries test the character of the group,” he said. “When someone goes down, the next guy must step up. How you bounce back and pull together determines your culture.”
Reinforcements may also be on the horizon, with the possible returns of Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi offering a timely boost as the play-off race tightens.
