JP Pietersen demands consistency as Sharks welcome back Boks

The Durban outfit faces Cardiff in Wales on Friday evening, with Pietersen making nine changes to his starting line-up as several Springboks return to the squad. 

Having secured a morale-boosting result on French soil, the Sharks will now look to carry that momentum into their fourth URC fixture of the season. Pietersen, however, insists the real test will be turning those encouraging performances into consistent results.

"The challenge for us will always be about turning confidence into consistency because we don't want to be giving rollercoaster performances sometimes, but that will happen considering the youth and all the changes in the squad."

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Friday evening’s encounter at Cardiff Arms Park is scheduled to kick off at 20h45 South African time.

The Sharks have received a significant boost with five Springboks included in their matchday squad for Friday’s meeting with Cardiff. André Esterhuizen returns to the midfield alongside the inclusion of Ethan Hooker and Edwill van der Merwe on the wings, while experienced front-rowers Ox Nché and Thomas du Toit provide additional firepower from the bench. 

"Some of them will start on the bench, others will begin the game seeing that we had a short preparation week, and we took these decisions just for balance sake within the squad."

The Sharks head into the fourth round sitting fifth on the URC standings, following victories over the Ospreys and Leinster in Durban and a defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town. Cardiff, meanwhile, are just a point behind in sixth position, having also registered two wins from their opening three fixtures. 

With both teams looking to establish themselves among the early frontrunners, Friday’s encounter presents another opportunity for the Sharks to improve their performances away from home. 

The Welsh outfit has some familiar South African connections, with former Sharks centre Le Roux Malan among its players and Corniel van Zyl part of the coaching setup. Pietersen believes that familiarity adds another dimension to the contest, particularly with Cardiff having personnel who understand the Sharks’ playing environment.