John Plumtree wants a change in tack from the Sharks against the Dragons on Saturday, by closing out the second 40 strong for their first win of the 2024-25 Vodacom URC, reports DEVIN HERMANUS.
Speaking during a teleconference from Wales on Thursday, the Sharks boss addressed his troops’ struggles at the breakdown, maul defence, and their drop in energy during the second half of last week’s defeat to Connacht in Galway.
“When we had the fast ball that we needed, we were pretty good, and that’s why we got that lead,” Plumtree told reporters. “But after half time, they came out with a different plan and were more direct.
“We didn’t quite have the same power in defence and allowed them too much momentum. They attacked our breakdown aggressively and got away with some stuff I wasn’t too happy about… But good on them.”
The Sharks lacked energy, particularly in their carries and cleanouts, and Plumtree expects a better performance at Rodney Parade, saying, “Hopefully, we’ll see a change in that this week and the second half we finish strongly.
“We’ve got to address our stopping of maul tries, it’s been a big focus for us this week.”
Despite a dominant win over the Dragons in Durban last season, Plumtree is wary of the challenge the Welsh outfit poses. “We know we’re a dangerous side when we get the ball we want, but there are parts of our game that aren’t good enough, particularly in this part of the world.
ALSO: Sharks get Bok boost for Dragons duel
“[Dragons] were good enough to beat the Ospreys, and they were competitive against Leinster for 60 minutes. Right now, anyone can beat anyone; everyone is fit, fresh, and firing away.”
On the selection of scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse, fresh off his Rugby Championship exploits for the Springboks, Plumtree highlighted the importance of giving the 2023 World Cup winner more game time.
“Jaden had a long-term injury last year and hasn’t had a lot of rugby,” he said. “That’s why he played at the start of the Currie Cup, to get that game time he needed.
“He’s still fresh, he still wants to play. He’s identified he needs to play more, and we need him. We haven’t got a lot of experience at nine and feel like he’ll help us run the ship.”
Plumtree, however, downplayed the likelihood of more Boks joining the squad for the Sharks’ final tour match against Benetton next week. “Whether there’s more Boks who come back, I doubt it. Majority of them have had a big load… we’ll probably look forward to seeing them when we get back to Durban.”
After a disappointing start to the URC last season, the Sharks will be aiming to avoid a similar run this time around. Despite winning the EPCR Challenge Cup, the Durbanites missed the URC playoffs, and Plumtree is determined to ensure they perform against a physical Dragons side.
“We’ve got a tough, physical fixture here on Saturday night coming off the back of a loss, and we’ve got to play well, look after their threats, apply pressure on them, and play for 80 minutes.”
Photo: @Springboks/Twitter
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
