Sharks need Cardiff follow-up to prove Munster wasn’t a fluke

2026-03-23 - 13:10

The Sharks have been in erratic form lately, and need to beat a hurting Cardiff at home, convincingly if possible, to prove their whitewash over Munster on the weekend was not a fluke. The Durban union has won six out of 10 matches since JP Pietersen took over, at times showing evidence of resurgence under new management, and new captain André Esterhuizen, and at times falling back into old familiar patterns. Sharks fight for form Like his predecessor, Pietersen fielded second-string sides to his downfall, for instance being thumped 26-10 by Sale Sharks after dropping 13 Springboks for the game. However, he also saw teams mixed with youth and experience whip Clermont 50-12 and outplay the previously unbeaten Stormers, both home and away. After those momentous matches, the Sharks were in a strong position to win the United Rugby Championship South African shield. They needed just one win against the Lions or Bulls. Instead, the Sharks lost both poorly (34-22 and 41-12) and forfeited the title to first-time winners, the Lions. Esterhuizen said every game was practically a must-win after that, if they wished to make the top eight and qualify for playoffs. The Sharks responded better than anyone could have predicted, beating 2022/23 winners Munster 45-0 at Kings Park on Saturday. Pietersen said he would cherish the moment for the rest of his life, it being such a complete performance amidst adversity. On the same weekend, Cardiff, one place above Munster at fifth, were thrashed 40-7 by the Bulls at Loftus. The Welsh side now travel to Durban for their Friday night fixture, also in mixed form, with four wins from the last nine games. Pietersen: Sharks have a ‘big job to do’ The Sharks cannot afford another defeat, still lying 11th on the table with five games left. Even after the Munster thrashing, they are still six points adrift of a playoff spot with Benetton, Ospreys, and Connacht all also vying for eighth place held by the Bulls. “I am not getting ahead of myself with this performance,” Pietersen said after the Munster win. “[We’re] still way off from eight. [But] If you look at the performance, it doesn’t look like a team that is at the bottom half of the log.” He said the Sharks still had a “big job to do” to get into the top eight. They needed a win against Cardiff. Head -to-head, Cardiff won three of the four clashes between the sides, including both of their two games in Durban. However, the Sharks got the better of Cardiff in their last fixture, 42-22, in Wales. It was their first-ever win against the Welsh side.