'Unacceptable' Sharks showing lacked intensity

Durban - Sharks coach Robert du Preez says his side's performance in their 30-17 loss to the Bulls on Friday night was "unacceptable". 

The Sharks were second best throughout the contest as the Bulls, who have been woeful in 2017, scored four tries in what was one of their best performances of the year. 

The result is not going to prevent the Sharks from progressing through to the Super Rugby quarter-finals, but the performance will be concerning for Du Preez. 

After the game, he expressed his unhappiness with the Sharks' attitude on the night.

"I think that the intensity wasn't there. That was really disappointing. We looked really disjointed," he said.

"The injuries during the week had a role to play, but the attitude certainly wasn't there."

Du Preez was asked if the international break had made it tougher for his side, but he was not in the mood to look for excuses. 

"It's the same for the Bulls," he said, bluntly. 

"The tries that we conceded were soft tries ... turnover tries. We didn't exit out of our own 22, so at this level if you make so many mistakes you will not win games.

"We just couldn't adapt on the evening ... just a lack of composure."

The Sharks now have another bye before hosting the Lions in Durban on the final weekend of regular season. 

"We're going to have to go back to the drawing board. The disappointing thing is that we actually had a good week of training," Du Preez said.

"To come out here and produce a performance like that is just unacceptable."