Joe happy with his ‘warm’ reception
THE Sharks may have made an uncertain start to their Currie Cup campaign but utility back Joe Pietersen has thoroughly enjoyed the first two months with his new franchise.
An enthusiastic surfer, Pietersen has jokingly confessed he is a “bad winter guy”, but that’s all changed in the balmy Durban winter. “I’ve had a lot of fun here with a great bunch of guys. It’s been a phenomenal winter; I’ve even got a bit of a tan,” he laughed.
He admitted, however, that he hadn’t had a real chance to get out his surf board yet, an indication, perhaps, that he is working hard on his rugby.
His solid performance at fullback in the Sharks’ narrow win against the Pumas last Saturday showed just how important he is to a young, inexperienced team. His goalkicking was flawless, as was his positional play.
“Results haven’t always gone our way, but there’s a lot of new guys and a lot of youngsters, so we need a bit of time to get the mix right and the guys firing. It’s all about getting the combinations working, but you saw in the first 60 minutes against the Lions that things can go very well for this team.”
Pietersen, who was brought up in Port Shepstone, is no stranger to KwaZulu-Natal. He has been something of an itinerant rugby player, starting his career with Western Province and the Stormers before playing for Bayonne and Biarritz in France. Last season he played for the Cheetahs before deciding to head “home” to KZN.
The Sharks edged into fourth place on the log after Saturday’s win and Pietersen said that the next three matches – against Western Province, the Lions and the Bulls – would define their campaign. “If we make the step up in these games, I believe we can beat anyone,” he said.
He said he hated saying that the Sharks were in a “building phase” because that was often used as an excuse for poor results.
“Nevertheless, I’ve seen we’re in a process and I’ve seen signs of what we can achieve. It’s now a case of continuing our progress towards that goal.”
Pietersen has been used at fullback by the Sharks, but his ability at flyhalf (a role he played for the Cheetahs last season) is proven.
Would he be interested in wearing the No 10 shirt again? “It was a factor in my moving to Bloemfontein, so if the opportunity comes I’ll happily grab it again.”
Any mixed emotions about playing against Western Province, where he began his career? “No, it’s been long enough since I last played for them,” he laughed. “It’s actually a lekker thing. I’ve played against everyone for so long that whoever you play against there’s always a mate or two to enjoy.”
Pietersen said the Sharks needed to be on their guard against Province on Saturday. “We’ve seen some exciting tries from them, especially from the back three. And they’re a good defensive unit so we’re expecting a helluva game. But I believe that we’ve gradually improved as a team, and that our defensive work is getting better as well.”