JP Pietersen looks for positives after Sharks knocked out of Challenge Cup

The Durban outfit were impressive in the first half and took a 12-7 lead into halftime.

However, playing away from home in European competition is always challenging with the host team winning the majority of fixtures in the Challenge Cup this season and the Irish conditions were tough.

Connacht mounted an impressive fightback in the second half, not allowing the Sharks to score a single point and winning the game 29-12.

"Obviously disappointed after finishing the second half like that," Pietersen said after the game.

"We set ourselves up with a good first half, dominating territory and possession, going into the half-time break 12-7 up and as a coach, it felt like we were one score away, but they defended well.

"That gave us a lot of confidence going into the second half, but we showed a lack of concentration in the second half, discipline let us down, giving them penalties which they kicked to the corners, putting us under pressure.

"And they took their opportunities when they got into our 22."

Despite the defeat, Pietersen believes there is a lot his squad can take from the match and their performance.

"It's a disappointing feeling to lose but we can take a lot of positives, particularly that first half performance and how we played the game in those weather conditions, and how we won territory.

"At the end of the day, it shows that we never gave up, we could have easily lost by 50 points with the possession and territory that Connacht had. But we stayed in the fight all the way to the end.

"That shows there is grit in the group, and there is fight. Those are things we can work from."