Former World Cup winner, Sharks legend hails Plumtree appointment

Former Sharks legend Mark Andrews has hailed the re-appointment of John Plumtree as Sharks head coach a master-stroke.

Plumtree, who coached the Sharks between 2007 and 2012 before leaving South Africa to work in Ireland, Japan and New Zealand, was on Thursday announced as the team’s new man in charge, taking over from Neil Powell.

Powell has been coaching the team ever since Sean Everitt was let go at the end of last year.

Plumtree, who most recently worked under Ian Foster as an All Blacks assistant coach, will start in his new job on July 1.

‘Great move’

Andrews, a World Cup winner with the Springboks in 1995, played alongside Plumtree in a very successful Sharks team in the 1990s.

“It’s a great move by the Sharks to bring Plum back,” enthused Andrews.

“The one thing is he knows the Sharks, their identity and what rugby is about in Durban. I think they’d lost their identity a bit … but it is hard nowadays to build a home-grown team, but he is someone who still understands what it means to be a Sharks rugby player.

Andrews added the fact the 57-year-old had coached in Ireland and especially New Zealand since last guiding the Sharks was a huge positive for the Durban-based side.

‘Experience’

“He’s now got 10 years more experience than he did the first time … and that experience comes from the All Blacks, from Ireland and Super Rugby (with the Hurricanes). He would have grown immensely as a coach and person in the last 10 years.”

Though the Sharks will lose Siya Kolisi and Thomas du Toit to overseas clubs at the end of this season, they have managed to hang on to several other stars, among them Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Curwin Bosch, among others.

Who will lead the side next year with Kolisi and Du Toit gone will come down to who Plumtree gels with the best, according to Andrews.

“The only person who will know who to pick as captain is the coach,” said Andrews.

“He is the one who will work closest with the captain and they need to believe in the same things with regards to rugby and the way the coach wants to play. The captain will also have to have the respect of all the players.”

Andrews said that with Plumtree now in charge, it was time for the Sharks to start challenging for trophies again.

“There are incredible players here, who wouldn’t want to live and work in Durban, and now with the right coaches in charge, there shouldn’t be a reason why the Sharks don’t compete in all the finals of the competition they play in.”

Dave Williams, a former assistant with the team, will also return to the set-up alongside Plumtree.