Sharks need to lift their game in almost all areas for Leinster

Sharks head coach John Plumtree was at odds to name areas the Sharks didn’t need to improve on before they face United Rugby Championship (URC) table-toppers Leinster at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 7.15pm).

The Irish powerhouse side suffered their first defeat of the season – coming in their 13th-round URC match against the Bulls at Loftus last weekend. They narrowly lost 21–20 mainly due to the Pretoria side turning up the heat in set pieces in the second half, turning a deficit into a victory through an extra time scrum turnover and penalty kick.

Leinster are tipped to bring a few Irish internationals back from their rest after the Six Nations, as they hope to improve on their record of one win from eight games in South Africa.

Plumtree duly selected his own star-studded side to face them.

Centre André Esterhuizen returns to the starting XV to join fellow Springboks Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, brothers Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse and Makazole Mapimpi.

The Sharks are fresh from a scintillating one-point win over 15th-placed Zebre last weekend (final score 35–34). Already then, Plumtree said his side could not afford to play as they did when they host Leinster.

Match ‘as important as any knockout game’

Addressing the media again on Thursday, the Sharks coach said aside from his forwards playing well in both attack and defence, and his bench making an impact, there was much they needed to work on in a home match he said was “just as important as any knockout game”.

“We have to look at controlling larger parts of the game,” he said. “We know we are vulnerable if the ball is turned over.”

He said the Sharks also need to look at their transition play, how they lost 25 turnovers compared to Zebre’s 11, and how their offloads were very loose.

He said kicking would also be a focal point, having only won two of eight contestables against Zebre, though Mapimpi had not played much since his three-game suspension.

“Every part of the game against a side like Leinster is contested.”

He said the Bulls got on top of Leinster in the scrum, but their line-out, breakdown, defence and attack were all tested.

“We have to be sure we do the same [as the Bulls]. We can’t allow them to dominate facets of the game. So we are going to have to be good in all areas.”

Leinster talisman Barrett could hurt Sharks

Plumtree said he was still in the dark about who Leinster would pick to play against the Sharks. But he said New Zealand star Jordie Barrett was more than a handful against the Bulls, and joked he would be happy if the centre returned to Ireland before the game.

“I thought he was outstanding against the Bulls. His softer softer touches, putting players into space… We saw how competitive he is in every part of game, whether has the ball or not.

“He’s an absolute beast when comes to the collision area.”