Ethan Hooker claims Sharks' squad depth will help overcome midfield crisis ahead of Munster match

Sharks coach JP Pietersen expressed hope that his squad could use the confidence gained after a tough victory in France last week to demonstrate similar play against Cardiff in Wales on Friday evening.

The Durban-based team showed character by defeating Lyon in the Champions Cup match, but Pietersen believes the team needs to stop creating difficulties for itself while trying to build momentum within the United Rugby Championship.

Previously, Sharks lost to Stormers in the last URC match after two home victories. The win over Lyon also came at a good time, allowing returning Springboks players to gain a positive atmosphere before a difficult away trip.

Pietersen noted: 'We will certainly take this confidence, but the challenge will always be with us: can we turn confidence into consistent play?' He added that the team is discussing this issue, questioning whether they can be consistent and avoid sometimes showing 'rollercoaster' performances in the game. He believes this will happen thanks to experience, youth, and the presence of players who recently transferred from another franchise. 'But how do we become more consistent? That's what we are looking for in the trip to Cardiff.'

Pietersen is convinced that the foundations for a more reliable Sharks squad were laid during a productive pre-season period and thanks to leadership striving to unite everyone in a single direction. The team spent ten weeks together preparing for the campaign, focusing particularly on physical endurance and a shared understanding of goals.

'I think it all comes down to a good pre-season. And there is definitely excitement in the group, there is good leadership,' concluded Pietersen. He specifically highlighted the work of co-owners Nick Hutton and Emil van Heerden, as well as players like Ethan Hooker and experienced Springbok prop Vincent Koch, in strengthening team unity. Pietersen emphasized: 'When senior players aren't playing, they put in a lot of effort to get the group aligned and define the vision of where we want to go. I must express huge gratitude to the management.'

Serious challenges lie ahead for Sharks against Cardiff; the Cardiff team finished in the top eight of the URC last season and has strong home form. Furthermore, Pietersen must prepare for a Welsh team with a distinct South African flavor. Former Sharks centre Leru Malan is in Cardiff's starting lineup, alongside South African midfielder Johan Mulder, and Cornéel van Zyl, a former Cheetahs and Italy player, is the head coach. Pietersen commented: 'Cornéel is a very good coach. I see it from last year's results—Cardiff reached the quarter-finals.' He also noted: 'And their home record is quite good. Last year they only lost one game at home.'

Malan's familiarity with Sharks adds another interesting aspect to the contest, as he played for the Durban franchise until recently. 'Leru Malan was obviously with us last season, so he knows all the details about the players. He will definitely share his knowledge of us,' said Pietersen. 'And when you play against your teammates, you want to bring that with you. We know it will be a good battle. And Leru Malan is a good player too.'

The young, reshaped Sharks team demonstrated impressive resilience, skill, and relentless fighting spirit to achieve a dramatic 40–33 victory over Lyon at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland on Saturday during the EPCR Challenge Cup.

As the stars of the Durban team rested in this match, and memories of the passing of former player Hayron Andrews were still fresh, the team relied on dominant scrummaging and outstanding play from fullback Zeketelo Siyaya to secure the famous win deep into stoppage time, starting their European season with a full complement of points.

The Durban side set the tone early in the first minutes, establishing an early advantage in ball possession, which paved the way for an exciting afternoon of rugby.

Match Start and First Goals

In the seventh minute, a powerful charge from the young front row earned a scrum penalty, allowing flanker Jordan Hendricks to execute a touch pass. From the subsequent maul, midfielder Ivan van Zyl spotted open space on the blind side and passed to winger Lily Bester, who scored the first try of the game.

Lyon seemed to respond immediately after four minutes when Monty Ioane crossed the line, but the Technical Video Official (TMO) rightly ruled the attempt invalid due to a forward pass during the attack build-up. The French home side applied strong pressure on the Sharks' line shortly thereafter, but the visitors held their ground to force two crucial penalties before earning a scrum penalty.

Sharks' defensive solidity paid off in the eighteenth minute when Jaco Williams intercepted a loose pass at midfield and ran the length of the field to score. Hendricks added a simple conversion kick, increasing the lead to 12–0.

First Half Midfield and Lyon's Comeback

Lyon managed to reply in the twenty-second minute through a smooth phase attack, when centre Adrien Seguret broke through the defense and grounded the ball, with Paddy Jackson adding the points. Nevertheless, Sharks restored their lead before halftime. Forgoing a shot at goal in the thirty-fourth minute, the visitors executed a corner pass and organized a relentless 'pick-and-go' attack, allowing winger Manu Tsituke to run in and score the converted try.

Dramatic Second Half

The second half brought continuous drama, as both teams traded blows for tense 40 minutes. Lyon briefly seized the initiative during the scrum at the start of the period, but Siyaya restarted the Sharks' attack, running a thrilling 50-meter counter-attack from his own line to the 22-meter line.

Despite Hendricks missing a penalty attempt in the fifty-first minute, Sharks continued to press. Two minutes later, Siyaya made another brilliant break, delivering an accurate cross-pass to Bester, who was only denied by a minor handling error on the line.

The pressure finally paid off in the fifty-fifth minute. After powerful runs from the forwards, the ball was distributed wide, and captain Nick Hatton ran in and scored a well-executed try. Hendricks slotted the conversion, giving the visitors a 26–21 lead.

Siyaya was again central to the next Sharks score in the sixty-third minute. Attacking with extreme precision, the backline fed the ball to Suleiman Hartzenberg, who passed in the tackle, sending Siyaya diving in for a deserved try.

Not willing to give up, Lyon capitalized on a throw-in error in the sixty-ninth minute, putting Gabin Lorr in the corner, and Jackson's conversion reduced the deficit to 33–26.

Sharks seemed to seal the victory in the seventy-third minute when substitute midfielder Bradley Davis won a race for a grubber kick into open space. However, the TMO intervened and disallowed the ball due to an offside infringement earlier in the game.

Lyon took advantage of this respite in the seventy-eighth minute when Baptiste Kuylow scored chasing a pass behind, and a quick drop goal leveled the score at 33–33.

As the clock ticked down, the young Sharks refused to settle for a draw. Retaining possession immediately after the restart, the visitors launched a daring multi-phase attack.

Siyaya once again proved himself the catalyst, drawing two defenders with sheer pace before delivering an exquisite pass to Bester, who dove into the corner, securing a monumental victory.