JP Pietersen enjoyed watching the Sharks beat the defending URC champions at Kings Park on Saturday, but the coach is aware another “beast” awaits in Cape Town next week.
Skipper André Esterhuizen scored one of four tries to help steer Pietersen’s men to a 26-20 bonus-point win against Leinster in Durban and stay unbeaten after two rounds of the URC.
The Sharks were 14-7 at half-time courtesy of converted Manu Tshituka and Lili Bester scores. Esterhuizen and fellow Springbok Edwill van der Merwe then dotted down after the break to complete the triumph.
Pietersen recalled six Boks for Saturday’s clash following victory over the Ospreys, and he hailed their contribution towards a full house of points for a second week on the trot.
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“We’ll take this one. To win against the champions, against Leinster, it’s really special. To get five points, it’s really special,” the ex-Bok told reporters post-match at Kings Park.
“We’ll enjoy tonight. I don’t think you get it, but I’m still processing; you can see I’m stuttering. I’m still processing that we won two [matches] and 10 points. So, ja, it’s just unreal scenes today.”
Eben Etzebeth’s break up field and offload helped set up Esterhuizen’s try, before Van der Merwe capped off a Man of the Match performance with an intercept touchdown.
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“I was quite nervous [about the returning Boks] before the game,” Pietersen said. “We had only one training session with them on Thursday, but it showed their eliteness and how good they are as players and professionals.
“We needed an injection after Leinster scored, so Eben was outstanding with that transition try. André scored, I don’t even know what was happening, and then Edwill finished it off with the intercept try.
“It just shows what they bring. And the rest of the group is all about doing the right thing, letting the system work, and letting the Springboks just do their thing when they need to.”
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On taking down Leinster, still winless in 2026-27, before next Saturday’s derby against the Stormers, Pietersen added: “I’m a realist – that’s not Leinster’s best of the best.
“But you can see they put us under pressure, because they’ve got a good system, a good coach, a good organisation
“For us as a group, I think we must just keep pressing, take this win and regroup on Monday, because we’ve got another beast waiting for us in Cape Town on Saturday.”
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
The post Stuttering JP proud of ‘unreal scenes’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
JP Pietersen enjoyed watching the Sharks beat the defending URC champions at Kings Park on Saturday, but the coach is aware another “beast” awaits in Cape Town next week.
The post Stuttering JP proud of ‘unreal scenes’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
