JP Pietersen outlines mammoth task facing Sharks in URC

The Sharks were knocked out of the Challenge Cup after losing 29-12 to Connacht in Ireland over the weekend, allowing them to fully focus on their remaining fixtures in the URC.

However, after a tough start to the season has left them with plenty to do if they have any hope of making the knockout rounds of the competition.

With six wins from 14 games so far, the Sharks find themselves in 10th place in the URC standings, seven points behind the Bulls in eighth.

Pietersen is well aware that his charges are going to have to be at their best to make up the gap and stand a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

"Going forwards, we just want to put a collective 80-minute performance together," the Sharks head coach told Times Live.

"That's what we've been asking for: Consistency and an 80-minute performance. We haven't had that this season and it has been very up and down.

"We've got a couple of injuries, so we'll reassess, make a plan, hopefully get some players back and then go again for the last four games.

"It's an opportunity for us to get 20 log point from our last four games and possibly set ourselves up for a top-eight URC finish.

Despite struggling for consistency, the Sharks have shown plenty of fight in recent weeks and Pietersen wants his charges to focus on the positives.

"There are many positives we can take into the last four URC games. We played the conditions well in that first half [against Connacht] and won territory. Even at the end of the game, it showed we didn't give up.

"We could have easily lost by 50 points with the possession Connacht had in the second half but we stayed in the fight until the last minute.

"That shows there's grit in the group and there's fight, which is something we can build on."