Sharks utility back Joe Pietersen knows all about rebuilding phases and how painful they can be. In the formative years of his extensive career‚ Pietersen was at Western Province in the tumultuous Kobus van der Merwe era in the mid-2000s.The Sharks are not as dire nor as disappointing as Western Province were but they are struggling to find their feet even though the Currie Cup is already in full steam.As a boyish-looking senior player who has not quite found the time to enjoy the Durban surf‚ Pietersen understands the role he needs to play as one of the senior statesmen.“When you’re in a team that’s in a rebuilding phase‚ even though I hate saying that because it sounds like an excuse when things aren’t going well‚ you know that there is a process that one is working towards.“We’ve seen signs of that with the Sharks and at the end of the day‚ we’re in still in fourth place so we can still build on that so we’re not totally out of the running‚” Pietersen said.“I’m trying my best to learn but to also play. I’m not the biggest talker so I try my best to let my actions do all the talking. I just hope I will be able to ignite a little bit of a fire every now and then. The boys just have to realise that when you just play and don’t focus on the other things‚ things do tend to go well.”While Pietersen’s role in the Cape was understated‚ he was one of the contributors to their rise from the mid-decade ashes‚ which partly explains why the Sharks roped him from Bloemfontein.In a campaign where sides are often shorn of experience‚ any productive old head will be warmly welcomed.The Sharks’ senior players did not quite pull their weight during the Super Rugby tournament and that showed in the results before they decided to get their act together towards the end of the season.However‚ this Currie Cup campaign has been one for the youngsters and Western Province has plenty of them who will want to embarrass the Sharks on Saturday at King’s Park.Under John Dobson‚ Western Province have not looked like defending champions after consecutive losses to the Blue Bulls and the Cheetahs.The Sharks have not been worth writing home about‚ but they have consecutive wins under their belts‚ regardless of the unconvincing nature of those performances.Pietersen is looking forward to the weekend joust‚ even though it seems he still has a soft spot for the “streeptruie”.“It will be a lekker thing to play against them. I’m old enough to realise that I’ve played against everyone else in the country for so long that everyone knows everyone now. Whichever union you play against‚ there’s always a mate or two that you’ve played against‚” Pietersen said.“We’ve seen some good tries from Western Province‚ especially from their back three so they are going to be very dangerous. They’re also a very good defensive unit so we know we’ll be up for a very good game.”..