Pietersen: Young Sharks have ‘more than enough experience’ to handle star-studded Sale

Sharks interim head coach JP Pietersen said his young team has more than enough experience to take on a full-strength Sale Sharks side, packed with international stars, in their Champions Cup match in Eccles on Saturday (kick-off 7.30pm).

Pietersen dropped 13 Springboks who played against the Lions in their URC derby last weekend, instead opting for a second-string side with many of the players who lost 56-19 to Toulouse in their opening pool match in France.

With their one win against Saracens at Kings Park, the Sharks need at least one more victory from their last two games to have a chance of progressing to the round of 16. Otherwise, they will drop into the second-tier Challenge Cup, or fall out of European competition altogether if other results go against them.

Sale names strong team

Sale have named a star-studded squad, including England internationals George Ford, Tom Curry, Bevan Rodd, and Joe Carpenter, Welsh international Willgriff John, and South African-born players Rob du Preez, Jacques Vermeulen, Marius Louw, Hyron Andrews, Gurswin Wehr (all former Sharks), and Ernst van Rhyn.

“They will obviously will have an impact on the game,” Pietersen said of Sale’s South Africans. “I think the players know each other very well. Jacques and Marius are physical.

“They will share some key points but I can only control what I can my side. We analysed well what we need to do against them technically.”

Pietersen said many of these players played for the Sharks long ago and are very different players now. So the Sharks will focus on their own game plans rather than over-analyse them.

Sharks retain some experience for Sale clash

On his own team, Pietersen backed rising No 8 Nick Hatton to lead the Sharks well. He will be supported by players with more than 30 franchise caps, including Vincent Koch, Francois Venter, Vincent and Emmanuel Tshituka, Yaw Penxe, Siya Masuku, and Emile van Heerden.

“If you look at the group, there is more than enough experience in key positions. Then you look at the youth and excitement of Jurenzo [Julius] playing at 12 – it’s something we want to try, see how he does at 12, closer to the ball.

“Then you look at [Canadian international] Ross Braude at nine and the pack Eduan Swart getting a start again, with a different combination with Vincent Koch and Lee-Marvin Mazibuko. We have a good bench that can all come on as impacts.”

Pietersen said the team had been announced prior to the Lions derby last weekend. That, and the fact the entire Sharks group trains together during the week, means the young side have had plenty of preparation.