Pietersen wary of strong Cardiff outfit

October 23, 2026 8

Sharks coach, JP Pietersen, says his side must be “very awake” when they face Cardiff at the Arms Park on Friday night.

Pietersen says he has studied the Welsh side’s selection closely and says they have threats in the starting XV and on the bench.

“You can see [Cardiff coach] Corniel [van Zyl] is quite serious about the game,” Pietersen told the media.

The Sharks head into the encounter on the back of a 40-33 victory over Lyon in France in the Challenge Cup last week.

Pietersen has made nine changes to his starting XV, with the physical demands of that match a key factor in his decision to rotate the squad.

“The game against Lyon went to 82 minutes and it was the most ball-in-play we had, I think it was about 37 minutes, so it did push the boys past their barriers physically.

“So it’s a good time to bring some fresh bodies in, and obviously there were a couple of injuries from the last game so those were changes that had to be made.”

The Sharks are looking to build on their recent progress after a difficult European campaign last season, when they failed to win a match in the competition and finished 10th in the URC.

They currently occupy fifth place on the URC table, with Cardiff just behind them in sixth. Both teams have recorded two wins and one defeat, adding further significance to Friday’s meeting.

Kick-off is at 8.45pm.

Match day 🏉

Cardiff Rugby vs Hollywoodbets Sharks 🦈

20h45 CAT. We’re ready.

#HollywoodbetsSharks #VodacomURC https://t.co/iU84JSzBj4

— Sharks Rugby Club (@SharksRugby) October 23, 2026