Sharks coach JP Pietersen has emphasised the need for the Hollywoodbets Sharks to back up last week's victory, warning that the DHL Stormers will be on a "revenge mission" in the return URC match on Saturday at 17:00 (SA Time).
Pietersen said the team is in the "right mindset" to secure back-to-back victories before a league break, acknowledging that South African derbies are "tough and brutal".
While the pressure to perform remains, Pietersen insists it is self-imposed rather than a result of facing the Stormers at home.
“We know we need to win every game to give ourselves a chance of making the URC playoffs.”
“We are desperate for wins, but we don’t see that as pressure. It’s a clean slate on Saturday, and the only difference is we’re playing at home, and they’re playing away.”
He believes the game's outcome will heavily rely on set-piece dominance, particularly scrums and mauls, due to the expected humid and slippery conditions in Durban.
“The Stormers pride themselves on set-piece, scrums and mauls and that’s why [hooker] Fez [Mbatha] is in the team,” Pietersen said.
“With the humidity, there will be some errors with the slippery ball, so it’ll be a scrum battle, lineouts, mauling and high-ball contesting.”
Pietersen praised captain Andre Esterhuizen's leadership, noting that "his actions say a lot more than his words" and that the team performs well when he plays well.
“Our results are improving, we’re getting the results. Andre is leading the team well, and we have a good leadership group that leads week in and week out and in training. I must give a massive compliment to the leaders in the group for keeping up the standard.”