‘A disappointing feeling’: Pietersen turns sight to URC

The Sharks were unable to score a point against Connacht in the second half of their knockout match. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images Sharks coach JP Pietersen has turned his sights to the United Rugby Championship after his side’s Challenge Cup last-16 exit on Friday night. The Sharksfell 29-12 to Connacht, unable to build on four Jean Smith penalties in the first half that gave them a 12-7 lead at the break.

Instead, the Irish side scored three tries and a penalty and kept the Sharks scoreless in the second half to secure the win in wet and windy Galway. It ended the Sharks’ run in the EPCR after dropping out of the higher-tier Champions Cup with two wins out of four in the pool stages. It was something of a repeat of last year, when the Sharksdropped out of the Champions Cup pool stagewith just one win, and lost 34-21 to Lyon in the Challenge Cup last-16.

Then-coach John Plumtree rested about a dozen Springboks and frontline players for the knockout, while Pietersen went without several due to injuries this year. Still, Springboks Vincent Koch, Ox Nché, Edwill van der Merwe, Vincent Tshituka, Ethan Hooker, Makazole Mapimpi andreturning lock Eben Etzebethlent their talents to the team but were unable to turn the result. “We are obviously disappointed to finish the second half like that,” Pietersen said.

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“We set ourselves up with a good first half to dominate territory and possession. A lack of concentration and discipline let us down, giving away penalties so they could kick into the corners and put us under pressure. “They took their opportunities when they came into our 22.” He said he wishedthe Sharkscould have converted more opportunities in the first half to give themselves a bigger lead at the break.

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