SHARKS EXPECT A VUURWARM BATTLE V STORMERS

SHARKS coach JP Pietersen knows they are in vir ‘n ding at Kings Park at 5pm on Saturday when they host the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship.

Pietersen’s manne klapped the Kapenaars 30-19 in the reverse fixture innie Kaap last weekend, but knows his opposite number John Dobson would have worked hard behind the scenes to exact revenge on their coastal rivals.

The former Springbok wing wysed: “They [the Stormers] will definitely come back harder this weekend. We know they are going to come up to Durban wanting to prove a point.

“The challenge in rugby is always ‘Can you double up?’ And that is the thing.

“We will have a full go again. It is the same team we are playing, so we don’t have to completely change the plan, but we can tweak.”

Pietersen will bank on the experience of Bok captain Siya Kolisi to get one over his future teammates.

Kolisi will leave the Sharks for the Stormers at the end of the season, with Pietersen saying: “It’s going to be sad for us seeing him go to the Stormers, but he’s still got a job to do for us until the end of the season. I am just happy with what he can contribute to us in terms of his leadership. You can’t coach leadership and he was born with it.”

Meanwhile, Bok hooker Andre-Hugo Venter has recommitted his future to the Stormers by signing a contract extension which runs until 2029.

WEEKEND’S UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES:

Friday: Benetton v Llanelli, Warriors v Munster (both 9.45pm)

Saturday: Lions v Bulls (2.30pm), Zebre v Connacht (5pm), Leinster v Edinburgh (7.30pm), Ulster v Cardiff, Ospreys v Dragons (both 9.45pm)