Image: The Star
Sharks head coach JP Pietersen believes the touring All Blacks’ midweek matches against South Africa’s franchises will be among the highlights of the rugby calendar, despite many Springbok stars being unavailable because of Test commitments.
The highly anticipated Greatest Rivalry Tour will see New Zealand face all four South African United Rugby Championship franchises, beginning with the Stormers on 7 August before taking on the Sharks in Durban on 11 August, the Bulls on 15 August and the Lions on 25 August.
While some have questioned whether the fixtures could lose their appeal without the Springboks involved, Pietersen insists the opposite is true.
Instead, he believes the matches present a rare opportunity for South Africa’s next generation to test themselves against one of rugby’s greatest teams.
Young Sharks set for invaluable All Blacks test
Having earned 70 Springbok caps and faced the All Blacks 10 times during his international career, Pietersen understands better than most how much South African players benefit from competing regularly against New Zealand opposition.
He says the move to the United Rugby Championship has dramatically reduced those opportunities.
“It is unfortunate in a way that our players are disconnected from New Zealand and Australia at franchise level,” Pietersen said.
“We don’t watch as much Super Rugby as we used to because we’re focused on the European competitions now.
“It will be awesome to see our young talent playing against New Zealand. It will be exciting to see what we can do against such classy players.”
The former Springbok wing pointed to exciting Sharks centre Jurenzo Julius as one example of a player who has had little exposure to New Zealand rugby.
“A guy like Jurenzo Julius has played around 50 professional matches but has only faced New Zealand teams at Under-20 level. Many of our players have never played against New Zealand opposition.”
‘Playing the All Blacks made us better’
Pietersen believes South African rugby owes much of its own success to decades of fierce competition against New Zealand.
During the Super Rugby era, provincial teams regularly came up against All Blacks-laden franchises, creating an environment where players were forced to continually improve.
“When I played for the Sharks, week after week I was playing against All Blacks players and testing myself,” he said.
“If it were not for the All Blacks, I don’t think the Springboks would have developed into the team we eventually became.
“Every Super Rugby game felt like a Test match because most weekends you were lining up against international players.”
Warning against writing off New Zealand
Although New Zealand have experienced a relatively lean period by their own lofty standards, Pietersen believes it would be dangerous to underestimate them.
He expects the All Blacks to remain one of world rugby’s dominant forces for years to come.
“New Zealand rugby has gone through a bit of a dip,” he said.
“Some people think they’re no longer that great, but they’ll come back stronger than ever.
“Anyone who has experienced their rugby culture understands that. They’re a small country with an incredible rugby tradition and enormous pride.”
Sharks already preparing for Durban blockbuster
The Sharks have already adjusted their pre-season plans to ensure they are ready when the All Blacks arrive in Durban.
With the fixture taking place during the middle of pre-season preparations, Pietersen says the coaching staff decided to bring players back earlier than usual.
“It falls in an unusual part of the season, so we started pre-season early,” he explained.
“We want to be ready for the All Blacks. We want to give them a proper contest.”
Beyond the rugby itself, Pietersen says simply witnessing the famous haka at Kings Park will be a memorable experience for many younger players.
“It will be wonderful for our players to experience the haka.
“Having the All Blacks back in Durban after so many years is something special. It’s going to be a fantastic occasion and we’re incredibly excited to host them.”
For a new generation of Sharks players, it will be far more than just another pre-season fixture. It will be an opportunity to measure themselves against rugby’s most iconic team — exactly the kind of challenge Pietersen believes South African rugby has been missing.
Source: www.iol.co.za
