Why Sharks must hit the reset button
OPINION: Inconsistencies, lacklustre performances, and a failure to build on momentum best describe the Sharks’ United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign.
This past weekend, the Durban-based franchise picked up its eighth loss of the season after going down 17-21 to a pretty mediocre Ospreys outfit in Wales.
It was yet another underwhelming display from the Sharks, littered with unforced errors and poor decision-making, despite starting the match like a house on fire.
The singular positive they’ll take from that clash was Zekhethelo Siyaya’s promising debut. The 18-year-old had a bright outing, looked dangerous with the ball in hand and showed he belongs on the big stage just months after leaving the gates of Westville Boys’ High School.
It’s a pity his teammates couldn’t follow in his footsteps, and the defeat dropped the Sharks to 11th on the log, 10 points behind Connacht in ninth, who are chasing down the Bulls in eighth.
Reality is starting to sink in for the Sharks and their fans, and the prospect of missing out on a quarterfinal spot for the second time in the URC has dramatically increased.
Also Read: Cheap shot on Hooker causes divide between Wales and Springbok fans
With only three matches left against Edinburgh, Benetton, and Zebre, JP Pietersen may already need to accept his side’s losses and turn his attention to the 2026/27 season.
If the Sharks are committed to rebuilding and forging a new identity, then Pietersen must utilise the remaining fixtures to start addressing issues ranging from squad depth, combinations and getting some crucial answers on a number of players.
Areas of concern
Unfortunately for the Sharks, the fact that they field a Springbok-laden team that has underperformed for the past two seasons will inevitably draw scrutiny.
Even before the Pietersen Era, the Sharks looked like a disjointed side, and some of the combinations put together by John Plumtree either didn’t make sense or didn’t work. At some point, the Sharks resembled a team doing the absolute bare minimum despite having all the resources at their disposal.
Pietersen will need to hone in on this specific area, and instead of trying to cram big names in one team list, bring some balance within his squad selections.
The mounting injury list hasn’t helped the Sharks either this season. It remains a serious concern, and several first-choice players have been unavailable at crucial points in their campaign. Who knows how results might’ve swung if guys like Aphelele Fassi, Bongi Mbonambi, and Eben Etzebeth had been fit for longer spells.
The Sharks will also bid farewell to Jean Smith, Hakeem Kunene, Siya Kolisi and Mawande Mdanda at the end of the season.
Fortunately, they’ve got cover in all these positions, but the biggest blow is the departure of Grant Williams, who will pursue his career in Japan.
His exit places the responsibility on Jaden Hendrikse to drive the Sharks forward, and he will need to be consistent for the foreseeable future alongside Bradley Davids and some of the young guns coming through.
The Sharks also have growing concerns at flyhalf. Jordan Hendrikse, when fit and firing, can carry the baton, but has Siya Masuku become more of a liability than an asset in recent times?
It may be time to introduce youngster, Vusi Moyo, into the mix.
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Where classroom meets the Sharks gym 🦈🏉 @vodacom #urc pic.twitter.com/nsJRHVGsVF
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) April 21, 2026
Building for the future
The bold move by Pietersen to hand Zekhethelo Siyaya and Luan Giliomee their senior debuts at such a young age suggests he’s already got one eye on the future.
If the Sharks are to overturn their fortunes and compete for the URC title, then they need to take a different approach because the norm has proven time and again not to work.
Backing youngsters seems to be Pietersen’s way to go. He’s laid the foundation this season with Siyaya, Giliomee, Phatu Ganyane, Ethan Bester, and Jaco Williams, to name a few.
For once, it seems like the Sharks are rewarding young, talented players instead of letting them rot in their academy system. Although it’s yet to be confirmed, the Sharks seem to have also acquired the services of Alzeadon Felix from the Lions. He’s been touted as a future star and should add value to JP’s future project.
On the flipside, some senior players will need to give a good account of themselves.
Do players like Bongi Mbonambi, Ruan Dreyer, Trevor Nyakane, Marvin Orie, Yaw Penxe, and Makazole Mapimpi still have it, or will Pietersen have to move past them? These are some of the hard questions that need to be answered.
A new slate for JP
Sharks fans, willingly or not, will cut Pietersen some slack for not reaching the quarterfinals this season, and they should.
We have to remember that he inherited this group of players but now has the opportunity to start all over and build what many would call “his” team.
That doesn’t mean there should be an overhaul at the Sharks, but the onus will be on Pietersen to change things around on his terms, and he could well start implementing some parts of his processes in the final rounds of the current season. The remaining matches must be used as a bridge into pre-season.
Sharks fans: It’s no use crying over spilt milk now, but all you can do is hope that the lows of this season spark a revival in the 2026/27 campaign.
