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REACTION: The Sharks were given a brutal reminder of the gulf between club rugby and Test-level experience as the All Blacks ran in eight tries to claim a comprehensive 54-0 victory at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Tuesday night.
The Sharks were competitive during a chaotic opening half and went into the break 0-14 down, but New Zealand found another gear after half-time. Their speed, handling and cohesion proved too much for a youthful Sharks side that struggled to stay with the visitors as the game opened up.
For Sharks head coach JP Pietersen, however, the result needed to be viewed in the context of where his side is in its preparation.
The Sharks are only six weeks into pre-season, while the All Blacks arrived with a squad packed with international experience and cohesion.
“Look at the scoreboard, it’s not nice to see,” Pietersen said. “But the boys fought from minute one to minute 80.”
Pietersen admitted the Sharks could not match the All Blacks once the game opened up after half-time.
“We couldn’t match their speed in the second half. We were just behind in everything they did. Every breakdown, every offload, every ball on the floor, they were just getting every offload.”
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The first half had offered plenty of encouragement, with the Sharks showing intent and putting pressure on the All Blacks early in the contest.
Pietersen said that was exactly what his team had set out to do.
“We’re in pre-season now; we’ve prepped ourselves to go for it. It’s a once-off game, go for gold. I think that’s what the mindset was in the game.
“We were going to go for it, put pressure on them as much as we can. I think we did that in the first 15 minutes.”
But the All Blacks’ ability to maintain their intensity and exploit space eventually proved decisive.
“They played with confidence, and they showed it in the second half,” Pietersen said.
For Sharks captain Nick Hatton, the occasion itself was something his young teammates would remember for the rest of their careers.
“As a club, to play against the All Blacks is really special,” Hatton said. “I think it’s something that not many clubs get to do. So that was really cool.”
The pre-match Haka and Ma’a Nonu’s response added another layer to an already historic night, with the former All Black performing a solo Kapa o Pango after New Zealand’s haka.
“It was pretty emotional, singing the anthem and seeing the haka and seeing Ma [Nonu] respond,” Hatton said.
Pietersen said this had a major impact on the Sharks players.
The 44-year-old had spoken to New Zealand and former All Black Tana Umaga [All Black assistant coach] about the tradition before deciding to respond.
“He said to do the haka back is a sign of respect to the All Blacks,” Pietersen said.
“And it’s beautiful that he did the haka. He was quite nervous to do the haka by himself. That’s what he was more worried about.
“I got goosebumps when I saw it. When the All Blacks finished the haka, they got together, and he did the haka back to them.”
For Pietersen, Nonu’s value extends well beyond that emotional moment.
The veteran centre only joined the Sharks environment recently but has already made an impression on a young group, particularly the backs.
“He’s been good to the group, especially the backs. As you can see, we’ve got the youth in the backs. He’s been a great addition to us,” Pietersen said.
“He has also been good off the field – just being prepped, how you prep, how you do prehab before the game, how you warm up, how you get your mindset ready before training. He’s been good in that space.”
Pietersen also highlighted the value of exposing his young players to an opponent of New Zealand’s calibre.
The Sharks backline, in particular, was an inexperienced combination, with Zekhethelo Siyaya, Donovan Don and Litelihle Bester playing together for the first time.
“I was also young when I started playing, and you only learn by playing,” Pietersen said.
“It’s a new combination. It’s the first time, I think, Ziyaya, Donovan and Bester played together in the backfield, so there’s not really cohesion.”
That cohesion, Pietersen believes, will come with time.
“With pre-season going into the next six or seven weeks, we’ll build cohesion, and they will learn game management as part of the game.”
The Sharks ultimately walked away with little on the scoreboard, but Pietersen said the fight shown by his players and the lack of serious injuries provided some positives.
“I think Stassen hurt his shoulder, but not too bad. That’s a positive,” he said. “There was fight for 80 minutes, especially from the young guys coming on.”
This article was originally published by rugby365.com.
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