For coach John Plumtree, 14 weeks of Absa Currie Cup rugby are behind him and a new challenge awaits with the knock-out rounds beckoning and home ground advantage secured thanks to the 45-30 win over Griquas on the weekend.
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Added to that, with Western Province failing to secure a five-pointer against the Lions, a huge amount of relief came out of the weekend’s action. “Province would have been under a fair bit of pressure going into their match, definitely,” said Plumtree after The Sharks had arrived in Durban on Saturday night, having heard the good news that they had finished top of the log – for the second consecutive season.
“I knew that if the Lions could come up with something similar to what they did against us, Province would struggle. Obviously I was a bit worried after the two tries they scored early on, but it all means nothing really, we’ve got to do the job this weekend.”
In energy-sapping heat in Kimberley, The Sharks showed why they are considered amongst the favourites to take the trophy at the end of October when they scored seven tries against a side who had been in the top four all tournament. Sadly, their semifinal dreams were dashed by a superior Sharks side, but in scoring four tries showed why they have gained the respect of every opponent this season and why they should be a force next year if they continue to build on the progress they have made this year.
“Griquas were tough and play some pretty attacking rugby,” said Plumtree in reference to the fact that they managed to score four tries and never gave up.
“I was always fairly confident we could score four tries, it was just about whether we could keep them out in that heat,” he added. Griquas were certainly up for the challenge, along with their own goals going into the match, but ultimately coming away with five log points, The Sharks coach concluded that: “It was job done.”
Both sides had gone into the game knowing that their hopes rested on playing attacking rugby and the reward that comes with it, and the fact that four tries were conceded did concern the coach, but not overly given the circumstances of the match – and the outcome.
“The whole time we talked about the fact that they would never give up, we knew they’d keep coming and although we didn’t quite have the intensity on defence that we probably wanted to, that’s something that happens when you’re scoring lots of tries.
“We weren’t sticking in the tackles,” added Plumtree, “we were making the contact but not wrapping up the tackle and that’s something we can work on. They’re the only team to have scored four tries against us this year and I’m pretty confident we can get our defence right this week.”
His team certainly didn’t lack for enthusiasm which was a big positive. The hard field of Kimberley, the hot and dry conditions and certainly the effort from the home side were factors that were always going to count against The Sharks.
“The boys were on the edge and I could see that,” he said. “We came up a day early and there was clearly a lot of want in the team and I think we played some fantastic rugby at times.”
Over the past couple of weeks Plumtree has had the difficult task of integrating his Springboks back, and making wholesale changes can certainly affect momentum and the dynamic already in the team. For The Sharks coach though, the pleasing aspect is that the team is getting to where he’d like it to be.
“At this stage of the season, just bringing those Boks back in, it’s great to see a few guys coming back into form. John Smit was good, so was JP. Obviously we’ve got a couple more guys coming back next week and that’s always encouraging. Jean Deysel came on, got a couple of turnovers and we’re hoping to have Bismarck back as well after injuring his ribs, he’s a pretty fast healer.”
But there is no point in looking backwards at this stage of the tournament he admitted – there is still plenty of rugby, important rugby, to be played. “My mind flicks straight away to the Cheetahs. They’re a side that’s hurt us in the past but we’ve got an opportunity to host a home final which is huge for everyone. But at the end of the day there are the Cheetahs in front of us and you can’t look too far past that.”
loosehead hulle gaan rape k@k :pissedoff:
@smallies72 – Moenie jou plaas verpand om daarop te wed nie.
27@smallies72 – Strauss se besering is ook ‘n terugslag. Beste haker in die land na my mening, saam met Bismark.
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: @isigidi –
Cheers boys.
Gotta run.
If you cannot be good, at least try be good at it.
Adios
isi die ding staan so da is net 4 bokke in die sharks wat rerig uit staan die ander is one liners met ander woorde bly gemaak. en die ander sharkies laat nie rerig my broekspype bewe nie 🙂
33 bdb regard is darem nou ok nie n pop nie en ek sou se hy is nie ver agter bissie en adriaan nie,nr 3 na my mening saam met liebenberg
Wat my beindruk maar ook teleurstel terselfdertyd is die Sharks se vermoeë om eweskielik aan te skakel ente gaan drieë druk wanneer hulle wil, soos ons Saterdag gesien het teen die Kwas… en dan weer te verval in doellose rugby.
As hulle vir 80 PLUS minute aangeskakel gaan wees, gaan enige span sukkel om hulle te klop.
Elke slag as Kwas gaan score het, het die Sharks dadelik teruggeslaan… en dan weer ontspan.
Gbs en die cheetahs weet net hoe om n span te laat afskakel soos die buls anderdag gesien het.as die haaie ons backs gaan gap gee gaan ons met hulle ploeg
37@smallies72 – maar nie een van hulle is so goed soos Chili nie !
40 bdb ou splinterboud is da man aldus snorstes 😀
40 bdb ou splinterboud is da man aldus snorstes
42@smallies72 – saam met Januarie is hulle die enigste ouens wat nie hoef te perform om die bokgroep te haal nie, hulle is sommer outomatiese keuses.
43 bdb chilie maak nogal n striking foto met sy spierwit broek en skoon trui tussen daai klomp vuilgatte
Fark ma julle cheaters supporters is darem vol bravado vir span wat die heel laaste week ingesneak het!
Boek maar solank daai kamptrippie vir vlg naweek.
45 trupisero ons het niks om te verloor nie,julle het wel …die cc.so dis hoe dit loop 😀
ek het n trick question.wie is saterdag die sharks se kaptein barney,toy boy, of rip van winkel? en gaan die ander twee vir hom luister? 😀
Smallies, ek dink JS sal seker die leisels oorneem nou.
48 trupiserio dit sal seker hy wees
ek soek n sharkie om mee te speel.die bulletjies se beurt is volgende week :laugh:
Die finaal sal na Kaplan gaan.
Die semi’s sal na Laurence en Joubert gaan.
Jonker sal die 1ste liga eind blaas.
het half gedink jonker gaan die bulls game kry synde dat hy so gewild is :laugh:
The Sharks are going to feast on Cheetahs then for the main course it’s going to be Cow steaks. Love us or Fear us. :skeleton:
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