Sharks coach JP Pietersen hopes that Sharks can break their duck in the Currie Cup.
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Sharks coach JP Pietersen says his team will have a good chance of ending their losing streak in the Currie Cup if they can build on the positive patches they have delivered in recent games.
The Sharks XV host Western Province at Kings Park on Friday night. Both sides are winless after four rounds, and both are treating the tournament as trials for their youngsters ahead of the United Rugby Championship later this year.
Pietersen’s team began with heavy away defeats to the Lions and Bulls, before an improved 7-5 home loss to the Cheetahs and a close 26-17 defeat to Griquas in Kimberley.
Pietersen has made six changes and one positional switch to his team, with winger Pascal Ekeji having been ruled out with concussion, and flank Matt Romao, flyhalf Vusi Moyo, and winger Christie Grobbelaar all having been called up to the URC training squad by head coach John Plumtree.
Pietersen says he wants an 80-minute performance from his youthful charges.
“We’ve played good first halves or good second halves, but we’ve had lapses in concentration. What I want from the boys on Friday is a complete performance across the whole game.
“We want to win games, but as coaches, what we can control is performance,” he said. “If we get it right for the full game, there’s a great chance of winning.
“We also know the mental side is important for the youngsters — it’s not good to keep losing games — so we are mindful of that.”
Pietersen said the return of experienced players on the bench is a boost.
“There’s some experience coming back — Bradley (Davids), Jannes (Potgieter), and Corne (Rahl).
“Last week, we couldn’t get going in the second half, and it put us under pressure. Having those guys come on will help in whatever scenario we face, whether that’s speeding up the game or controlling it.”
In other action, the Pumas host the high-flying Boland Kavaliers in Nelspruit at 5 pm on Friday, while the Bulls will play at a new venue on Sunday.
The Pretoria team hosts Griquas at Grizzly Park in Pretoria on Sunday, with kick-off at 3 pm.
On Saturday, the Cheetahs welcome the Lions to Bloemfontein for their encounter, which will start at 2 pm.
The clash between the Pumas and the Kavaliers at the Mbombela Stadium has all the hallmarks of a cracking game of rugby. The hosts have won two of their fixtures to date, against the Bulls in Pretoria (41-7) and Griquas in Kimberley (49-28), while suffering losses against the Lions in Nelspruit (in their last outing, 36-25) and the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein (42-28).
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, are having a superb return to the Premier Division and currently sit second on the table on 16 league points, which is the same tally as first-placed Cheetahs. The Bolanders have only lost one encounter so far in the campaign — a 48-39 reverse away against Griquas.
Sharks XV – 15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Phiko Sobahle, 13 Diego Appollis, 12 Marnus Potgieter, 11 Jaco Williams, 10 Jean Smith, 9 Ceano Everson, 8 Nick Hatton (c), 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 6 Tino Mavesere, 5 Deon Slabbert, 4 Coetzee Le Roux, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 Liam van Wyk, 1 Phatu Ganyane.
Bench: 16 Willem van den Hever, 17 Phiwayinkosi Kubheka, 18 Mawande Mdanda, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Jannes Potgieter, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Drico Marx, 23 Albie Bester.
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