Pietersen Praises Young Sharks Front Row After Gritty Win Over Bulls
Hollywoodbets Sharks interim coach JP Pietersen admitted he expected his side to be under pressure at scrum time against the Vodacom Blue Bulls, but praised his young front row for standing up to the challenge.
It was not a pretty contest, but the Sharks ground out a hard-fought 21–12 victory over the Bulls in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday.
Despite fielding a powerful pack, the Bulls managed only three points in the second half, all coming from the boot of Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard. Pollard scored all 12 of the visitors’ points on the night.
The Sharks’ front row of Phathutshedzo Ganyane, hooker Bongi Mbonambi and Hanry Jacobs faced a formidable Bulls trio of Cornelius Steenekamp, Springbok hooker Johan Grobbelaar and tighthead prop Wilco Louw.
The Bulls pack held the upper hand at scrum time, winning several penalties that allowed them to build pressure. Their game plan paid dividends, with two-time World Cup winner Pollard converting four of five penalties, most of which came from set-piece dominance.
“You can look at the Bulls’ front row — they’re all Springboks and very experienced,” Pietersen said after the match.
“I must give credit to Phathu — massive credit. He played until around the 70th or 75th minute and showed that he can compete at this level.
“They put us under pressure; that’s part of the game. We could have been better when we got the ball in the air, and that’s something we’ll work on. But we knew this is exactly what the Bulls were going to bring because they are a strong set-piece team.”
The victory helped the Sharks gain momentum in the URC standings, moving them up to 12th place with 12 points after seven matches.
Playing in their red third strip, the Sharks were without influential prop Ox Nché, who suffered an injury while on Springbok duty during the match against Japan at Wembley Stadium in London last month.
The powerful 30-year-old missed the Springboks’ remaining four matches on their European tour, including high-profile clashes against France and Ireland.
When asked about Nché’s return, Pietersen offered encouraging news.
“He’s back training,” said Pietersen, a member of South Africa’s 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning squad.
“Hopefully, he’ll be available for the next game against the Lions [at Kings Park on 3 January 2026].”
