JP Pietersen’s first game as permanent head coach ended in a disappointing 34-22 loss to the Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.
The loss not only dented their momentum but also ended their hopes of retaining the SA Shield, and Pietersen did not shy away from calling out the shortcomings.
Pietersen described the performance as "pretty poor". While acknowledging "some good stuff," he lamented the team's inability to sustain momentum, stating they were in a cycle of "one positive and then two negatives".
“It’s pretty poor if you look at our performance. We did some good stuff, but we can’t back it up.”
"We defended well until then, but is it only the yellow card to Jaden Hendrikse? I don’t think so. We had a kickoff, and they put a little kick through, but the ball went through Fassi's legs. Those are controllables. If we gathered that ball and went forward, it’s a different ball game.”
Pietersen admitted the side lacked direction in critical moments due to the absence of senior Springboks like Siya Kolisi and Andre Esterhuizen. He admitted that the team spent the match "absorbing pressure" rather than turning their own territory and possession into points.
"The way rugby works, you have to defend to get the ball back. When you get it back, you get territory, and from territory, you must build pressure. We never did that. We never turned pressure into points. We were just absorbing pressure.
“The other individuals need to step up. Some of them are in transition and learning to become leaders, but that’s part of the process.”
