Pietersen: Sharks found their identity
REACTION: Sharks head coach JP Pietersen extracted the positives from a disappointing United Rugby Championship campaign, which the team can take into next season.
The Sharks finished the 2025/26 URC season on a strong note, following back to back victories over Italian counterparts Benetton and Zebre.
Unfortunately, the early-season damage was too much to recover from to reach the play-off stages.
The Sharks underwent coaching changes midway through their campaign after several below-par results under former All Black assistant coach John Plumtree, before Pietersen took the reins.
Pietersen had a mixed bag of results, but there was clear growth in the Sharks’ style of play, and they claimed a famous double over URC title contenders, the Stormers.
Reflecting on the season, the Sharks mentor highlighted the positives from the campaign and believes that the Sharks have found their playing identity.
“I’d say we showed resilience throughout the season and restored some pride in the jersey since December [2025] until now,” Pietersen said.
“There was fight in every game; unfortunately, some results didn’t go our way, which is why we are in this position [not qualifying for the URC quarterfinals].
“Some people will see it as disappointment, but I see it as a learning curve.
“To find your identity, you need to have one.
“We showed today [Saturday] that we can be physical, fast and relentless, and it’s part of our identity we want to continue working on next season.”
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The Sharks also have a massive casualty list, including big-name players, which forced Pietersen to give several Junior Boks debuts throughout the season.
Pietersen praised the youngsters for stepping up in difficult circumstances and proving that they’re ready for URC level.
“One positive that was great to see is the youngsters putting their hands up.
“It’s always a tough decision as to when to blood them in a campaign, but through injuries it gave these players opportunities to show their worth.
“A guy like Vusi [Moyo] did that today [Saturday]. He was a bit nervous at the start, which is normal as a 19-year-old.
“Even a guy like Jurenzo [Julius] showed his worth and is more of a senior guy in the team now.
“The same counts for Jaco [Williams], Litelihle [Bester] and [Zekethelo] Siyaya, who we have in the backs that impressed this season.
“We also have Matt [Romao] in the forwards with Nick Hatton and Phatu [Ganyane] as a breakthrough player… It’s exciting for what we’re busy building.”
The Sharks mentor also issued a challenge to his players ahead of next season’s campaign.
“It’s also good for me to work with this squad depth which is better than last season.
“We want to come back next season with the mindset of not just competing, but we want to win. That’s the challenge to the group.”
