Sean Everitt has expressed concern about the Sharks’ defence ahead of their United Rugby Championship match against Scarlets in Durban on Saturday.

The Sharks fell to a 40-34 defeat by the Cheetahs in the Toyota Challenge in Bloemfontein this past Saturday, with the hosts exploiting several defensive lapses to pile on the points against Everitt’s team.

Commenting on how their defence was cracked open on the short side, Everitt said:  “We probably were not as desperate as we should have been.

“There were also moments on attack where we should have taken our opportunities,” Everitt said.

“At times in the game, we were in control and played some good rugby. We didn’t get the result [win] and there is a lot we can learn from this.”

The Sharks, who square off against Scarlets in Durban at 5:30pm on Saturday, are currently outside the top 10 in the URC standings.