Pietersen confident Sharks are up to final challenge

Says Chiefs are best team in Super series this year, but can be beaten

SPRINGBOK and Sharks back JP Pietersen said yesterday the burning desire in the team to lift the Super Rugby trophy for the first time would drive the players as they attempt to defy the odds by beating the Chiefs in Hamilton in the final on Saturday.

Should the Sharks succeed in this mission, they will become only the second South African team to win the title.

A victory for the Durban-based team would also go down in history as one of the greatest since the competition’s inception as it would require winning a play-off match in each of the three conferences.

Pietersen, however, said the key to achieving this huge feat would be to get off to a firing start — similar to that against the Reds and Stormers — and to shut out the hosts early in the game.

Interestingly, the teams were closely matched in the quality of their attack and defence in the round-robin stages, with the Sharks scoring 49 tries and conceding 32 while the Chiefs scored 47 and conceded 30, meaning the clash could come down to the wire.

But this will depend on the Sharks’ ability to fight off the effects of fatigue following their demanding travel schedule which included flying to Brisbane, then returning to Durban, heading to Cape Town, and then travelling to Sydney and making the short transfer to Auckland, all in only three weeks.

But while this may be the main talking point in SA, Pietersen preferred to focus on the positives ahead of the clash, and said they relished the challenge of taking on the Chiefs in the final.

“What motivates us is the fact that we’re in the final, and more so that none of us have ever won the trophy,” Pietersen said from the team’s base in Sydney, where they will be until tomorrow. “That has motivated everyone, the players and coaching staff, so we’re all very excited for Saturday.”

The Springbok star, however, was under no illusions about the challenge ahead, especially since the Chiefs were unlucky to lose out on the No 1 spot on the log.

“The Chiefs have been the best team this season and they showed it throughout the tournament, so we’re in for a big game,” said the playmaker. “They have a great attacking game, with some fantastic backline players and looseforwards, and then there is Sona Taumalolo (prop) who has scored nine tries off pick-and-goes. So they are dangerous all around. They also have a good defensive system and will definitely challenge us.”

Pietersen, however, was confident that if the team came out guns blazing from the outset, they could work their way into a comfortable position to win the match.

“We’ll have to start well and keep them at bay in the first 20 minutes,” said Pietersen. “If we want to win this game, we need to be at our best and each player has to bring his ‘A’ game. It’s going to be hard and physical, and if we don’t front up physically and take them on at their own game, it will be a long day. It’s about a good start and building from there.”

While few would dare to question the Sharks’ form and their big-match temperament after they achieved four victories in a row following the June Test break to advance to the final, Pietersen conceded that the team had to dig deep to reach this point, as their campaign was in jeopardy early last month.

“Things came together for us when the team started to gel — when the inexperienced guys combined well with the experienced players — and everyone started playing their best rugby,” he said. “The break in June gave us time to freshen up and talk about our goals and what we wanted to achieve this season.

“After the Lions game we agreed that our destiny was in our own hands, and we all stepped up each week and faced that challenge head on. Obviously this week will be another massive challenge, and everyone is very excited about it.”

Pietersen was also pleased with the contribution he has made to the team this season, which has earned him rave reviews from South African fans and coaches in the past few weeks. He said his performances could be attributed to improved conditioning: “My body is in great shape for the first time in my career. I’m fully fit and feeling very strong and that brings confidence.”