Sharks coach Plumtree not losing sleep over URC form

Sharks mentor John Plumtree has been under the pump this season, with the team failing to hit the right notes in the United Rugby Championship.

The pressure has been mounting on him as the results have not been coming his way; the team have lost seven of their eight games this season and they’re bottom of the points table.

Plumtree and his players though will hope to turn things around on Saturday when they welcome the Lions to Durban’s Kings Park.

Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has experienced a slump in the URC similar to Plumtree’s, but he received the backing of his bosses when questions were asked about his value and worth to the team.

‘Support from above’

The Sharks are taking a leaf out of the Lions’ book, by backing their coach. The support Plumtree has been afforded by his management keeps him sane amidst the pressure.

“I know there are some frustrated people because they want to win every week, but the reality is we are not ready for that yet,” said Plumtree. 

“For me, it’s making sure I have the support of the people that work above me. We have an owner, he’s ambitious … we have communication around what we are trying to do. There’s Neil (Powell, director of rugby) and Ed Coetzee (CEO), so I have got a good group of people above me. As long as they stay patient and work hard with me to ride this ship, I’ll be okay.”

‘We can’t rely on Boks’

The Sharks are now also expected to take a knock when the break for the international players comes into play in February and March.

Plumtree emphasised the need to build a team strong enough to compete without the Boks.

“We have got some Springboks, but we can’t rely on them,” Plumtree said.

“What we have got to do is have a squad that is strong so when the Boks come back they make our team stronger, that they don’t come back to rescue us. You can’t buy a rugby team, it’s never been done before … you can’t go and buy success.

“You have got to develop it, recruit and retain … that’s how you become stronger and stronger.”