In a match of two clearly distinct halves of their EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash with Connacht on Friday evening, the Hollywoodbets Sharks delivered a fairly complete first-half performance, with their Irish opponents delivering the killer blow in the second half.
After leading at half-time, the Hollywoodbets Sharks would have fancied their chances of causing a big upset.
But the conditions were testing and home ground advantage played in to the hands of the hosts. Indeed, across the two competitions (Challenge and Investec Champions Cup), the home team won 13 of the 16 fixtures, demonstrating just how hard it is to win on the road.
“Obviously disappointed after finishing the second half like that,” said Hollywoodbets Sharks head coach JP Pietersen after the match.
“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.”
Four first half penalties were some reward for their determined and commanding play, but the Hollywoodbets Sharks had come to win and to score tries. So leading at the break gave them energy, but something slipped.
“That [being ahead on the scoreboard] 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.”
Pietersen rued the outcome after a dominant first half performance, but acknowledged that his side can take confidence from their effort.
“It’s a disappointing feeling to lose,” he admitted, “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.”