Sharks scramble to victory over Saracens in precious start to JP Pietersen era

IT was not easy on the eye, but Sharks supporters won’t care as their team laboured over the finish line at Kings Park yesterday evening to beat Saracens 28-23, in the process reviving their ambitions in the Champions Cup.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

The match ended with the Sharks fighting for their lives as they defended their line, but a Saracens error gave new head coach JP Pietersen a victory in his first outing.

Before kickoff, Pietersen would have looked to the thunder clouds and wondered what the rugby gods had in store for his team.

It had been tortuously humid in Durban almost all week. Moisture was thick in the air, and by kickoff, at 5.15pm, the skies had had enough and emptied their load on Kings Park.

There was a strong wind, too, so with rain sweeping across the miserable stadium, the ambitions of either side to play an adventurous game were left in the change room.

The Sharks started positively and were rewarded when they twice turned down easy kicks for goal in favour of the corner — from the second lineout maul, the pack drove Siya Kolisi over for a try. The Springbok captain got up gingerly, perhaps winded, but continued.

The Sharks’ scrum looked as comfortable as their lineout, with tighthead Hanro Jacobs winning an early penalty.