Plumtree urges Sharks to get rid of losing habit

Sharks coach John Plumtree wants his side to kick away their losing habit on Saturday when they take on the Lions at Durban’s Kings Park in front of their fans.

Plumtree’s side have grown accustomed to losing this season in the United Rugby Championship. They have lost seven matches and are at the bottom of the table but Saturday’s encounter presents a chance for them to kick start a winning streak as they will shortly shift their attention to the Challenge Cup.

‘Losing a bit of a habit’

They say winning is a habit, but so is losing, so Plumtree and Co will be desperate for things to change — not only for themselves, but the fans as well.

“We need to get winning because that will breed the belief and confidence in what we are doing,” Plumtree said.

“It’s hard to keep picking up everyone off the canvas when you lose. It does feel like it becomes a bit of a habit.

“When you’re winning you’re always looking for ways to challenge your team and keep them on the edge of their seats, and when you’re losing you keep driving them to be better,” he said.

Glimpses of improvement

The Sharks have shown improvement in recent weeks, as witnessed by their last outing against the Stormers. Despite being on the losing side, their performance was good and they are looking to build on it against the Lions.

“We have shown glimpses around our attack which we have been happy with. We had a nice balance in our last game,” he said.

“I expect us to just continue improving … what that looks like is a massive effort up front. But, we want to display the same type of intensity around our defence and general game (as was witnessed against the Stormers).

Looking at the Lions, who’re on a bit of a run and in decent form, Plumtree said they are a cohesive unit which has made them a solid outfit this season.

“The Lions have got a lot of continuity in terms of their selection; a lot of their guys have been playing for a long time together. So, they are a pretty cohesive side and they play well together with what they have,” he said.