‘They stayed in the fight’: JP Pietersen hails young Sharks after dramatic Lions friendly win

The Sharks showed the fight head coach JP Pietersen has been demanding from them as they finished their pre-season programme with a thrilling 33-31 victory over the Lions at Ellis Park on Friday afternoon.

The Sharks and Lions scored five tries apiece, but it was the Durban side’s backline that came alive in the final quarter to snatch a hard-fought victory in an entertaining dress rehearsal for the United Rugby Championship (URC).

For Pietersen, however, the most encouraging aspect was not the final scoreboard, but the way his young Sharks side refused to buckle when the Lions repeatedly turned up the heat on home turf.

The Lions scored almost immediately from kick-off on a few occasions, but the Sharks continuously fought their way back into the contest.

“Normally teams go away when that happens,” Pietersen said after the match. “And normally we, as the Sharks, fall away.

“And then the Lions bring a whole new 15 players on. We always struggle when we see things like that. To see the young kids stay in the fight until the end, and the way they handled themselves and found a way to get back into the game, was beautiful.”

The Sharks’ backs then produced the individual brilliance required to complete the late comeback, something Pietersen was particularly pleased to see after a demanding pre-season block.

“I’m happy with what the pre-season gave us and what we worked on as coaches, and then to execute it on the field,” he said. “The Lions, with the players they’ve got, definitely challenged us on the physicality and just the relentlessness. So I’m happy that the boys stayed in the fight. It wasn’t perfect, but I’m happy.”

Pietersen noted that the Sharks had achieved the three core objectives they had set themselves for their final warm-up fixtures: granting key players valuable game time, avoiding major injuries, and continuing to sharpen their team identity.

There was one setback, however, with winger Yaw Penxe forced off after suffering a back injury.

“Hopefully it’s not too serious,” Pietersen added.

On a brighter note, the match marked a successful return to action for several stars, with flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse getting 40 minutes under his belt and lock Jason Jenkins also featuring.

Pietersen remains hopeful that Jurenzo Julius and Murray Koster, who picked up minor niggles in the earlier win over South Western Districts, will return to full training next week.

“Jurenzo’s got a bit of an ankle niggle; it’s not too serious. Him and Murray Koster, hopefully they can train next week,” he explained.

The Durban outfit now has just over two weeks to prepare for their 2026/27 URC opener against the Ospreys at Kings Park on 26 September, before hosting Leinster in their second-round clash.

Pietersen believes starting the campaign with back-to-back home fixtures provides his side with an ideal platform to build on their pre-season momentum.

“With those two friendly games, it gives you confidence, builds cohesion, and builds depth,” he said. “It’s exciting for us to start at home. It’s the first time the Sharks play their first game of the URC at home, so it’s exciting. Hopefully the fans come out and make it a spectacle.”