With hot, humid and slippery conditions expected at Kings Park, Sharks coach JP Pietersen believes the set-piece battle could prove decisive in Saturday’s Vodacom URC derby against the Stormers. MORNÉ ESBEN reports.
Pietersen has recalled several Springboks to his starting XV for the return clash, with Ox Nche, Siya Kolisi, Grant Williams and Edwill van der Merwe all restored to the lineup.
The Sharks go into the rematch with confidence after upsetting the Cape side 30-19 in Cape Town last weekend, handing the Stormers their first defeat of the URC campaign.
According to Pietersen, scrums, lineouts and mauls will play a central role in deciding the outcome in Durban.
“The Stormers pride themselves on set-piece, scrums and mauls and that’s why [hooker] Fez [Mbatha] is in the team,” Pietersen said.
“With the humidity, there will be some errors with the slippery ball, so it’ll be a scrum battle, lineouts, mauling and high-ball contesting.”
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After a difficult start to the season, Pietersen says belief is steadily returning to the Sharks camp.
“Our results are improving – we’re getting the results,” he said. “Andre [Esterhuizen] is leading the team well and we have a good leadership group that leads week in and week out and in training. I must give a massive compliment to the leaders in the group for keeping up the standard.”
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While the pressure to perform remains, Pietersen insists it is self-imposed rather than a result of facing the Stormers at home.
“We know we need to win every game to give ourselves a chance of making the URC playoffs,” he said.
“We are desperate for wins, but we don’t see that as pressure. It’s a clean slate on Saturday, and the only difference is we’re playing at home and they’re playing away.”
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Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
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