The Hollywoodbets Sharks face a daunting challenge when they travel to Cape Town to take on the unbeaten DHL Stormers in a crucial Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at DHL Stadium on Saturday, 24 January 2026. Kick-off is at 19:30 (SA time).
Interim coach JP Pietersen is placing heavy emphasis on a full 23-man effort to break the Sharks' poor record in Cape Town. The team has never won a URC match against the Stormers there (0-4), though recent games have been tight (margins of 1, 4, and 10 points).
“If you look at the last four games in Cape Town, there’s been about five points in it. It’s a match-23 game now. It’s not starters and bench, it’s collective. Hopefully, we can rewrite the story this weekend.”
“Paper tells a different story. What we see in our camp is how we can get better and improve from our last game. The mindset is to go down to Cape Town and give it a full go.”
Key returns include Springbok midfielders Andre Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker, rested against Clermont, bringing experience to handle pressure and transitions.
“They’re experienced players. Andre is our captain, and both are Springboks. There will be pressure and transitions, and how we deal with that under pressure is key. With those two, we’re confident they can do the job.”
However, Pietersen will also rely on a powerful bench featuring Springbok heavyweights to finish strongly: Ox Nché, Siya Kolisi, Grant Williams, and Vincent Tshituka, alongside emerging talents like former Junior Bok centre Jurenzo Julius.
“I won’t say it’s a Bomb Squad. I think the guys who started last week put their hands up and deserved to start again. If you look at the mix, it’s a good team that starts and a great team to finish the game.”
Injuries to wingers Makazole Mapimpi and Edwill van der Merwe open doors for young talents Jaco Williams and Yaw Penxe, with Pietersen noting:
“It’s a great opportunity for Jaco. What better test than against the best? He’s ready for it.”