JP Pietersen praises ruthless Sharks after 50-point statement victory

The Sharks are out of the Champions Cup, but a confidence-boosting hammering of Clermont stands them in good stead going forward. And they need it, as they face the unenviable task of travelling to Cape Town to face a rampant Stormers outfit who are undefeated in the United Rugby Championship next week.

"This was a good confidence game for us," Pietersen told the press.

"It gave us the belief that our game model works. As a coaching staff, we still need to review honestly and look at how we can get better, because at the next level, you're playing a different class of team.

"This win gives us confidence and belief, but we also know the Stormers will test us physically and mentally. We'll have to front up again, improve in certain areas, and make sure we're ready for two tough derby games.

"That's where we want to be as a group: playing against the best and measuring ourselves. The Stormers set a good standard, and that's what we're working towards."

The Sharks kept Clermont scoreless in the second stanza and sprinted to the finish line with four tries in the final 15 minutes. This clinical finishing has been absent for the Durban franchise of late and Pietersen was excited to see it return under his tutelage.

"What was really good to see today is that we put a team away," he said.

"That's something we've struggled with in the past - finishing off games. Today, in the last 10 or 15 minutes, we were ruthless, and that's something we want to keep building on."

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