AUDIO: The Bok gamble that paid off for the Sharks

Today at 03:00 AM

Replacing an entire Springbok front row and the Bok captain in the space of eight minutes is a bold move.

However, Sharks coach John Plumtree believes taking off 'tired old legs' and replacing them with eager youngsters had the desired effect.

The Sharks snatched the South African Shield out of the hands of the Stormers with a hard-earned 25-22 United Rugby Championship win over the Lions in Durban at the weekend.

A Jaden Hendrikse penalty in the 76th minute sealed the win for the Sharks - the replacement scrumhalf taking over the kicking duties from his erratic brother Jordan.

Not only did the win hand them the SA Shield, they also cemented their place in the top four - moving within striking distance of the third-placed Bulls.

Plumtree made a rash of substitutions between the 48th and 56th minutes - taking off Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch in one go, with Siya Kolisi following soon afterwards.

Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, James Venter and Nick Hatton came on and made the desired impact - with Hatton scoring a crucial try barely 10 minutes after coming on.

Plumtree admitted that the front row was never going to play the full 80 minutes, but other changes were more calculated.

(Article continues below the Plumtree interview ...)

"They [the front row forwards] worked hard in the first 50 [minutes] and it was time to make that change."

Subbing his captain, Kolisi, was more tactical.

"Siya hadn't played for ages," he said of the Kolisi substitution, adding: "The plan was always to finish with that back row [of Phepsi Buthelezi, James Venter and Nick Hatton].

"We had a six-two split and Grant [Williams] had to go to the wing [when Ethan Hooker went for an HIA and Yaw Penxe was yellow carded].

"With the amount of running he had to do, I thought he was inspirational."

The two Kolisi tries - either side of half-time - also proved crucial and showed the value of the two-time World Cup-winning Bok skipper.

"He came in and did a great job this week running the team.

"I thought his pass on the edge, where Grant [Williams] scored the first try [after four minutes] was top quality.

"He showed his experience and did very well."

[rp-mc-teams-match-summary id="204|942228|2025"][/rp-mc-teams-match-summary]

Having won the Challenge Cup, Currie Cup and SA Shield in the past year, the Sharks appear to be heading in the right direction after a lean patch.

"Marco Masotti [owner of the Sharks] will be proud," Plumtree said.

"He will be having a beautiful red wine in New York somewhere," he said of the Wall Street power broker.

"He has put a lot of work into this franchise and loves the people.

"It has not been easy. We had a lot of injuries and struggles.

"We are not there yet, but hopefully in the next year or two we will get the right group and challenge for some higher honours.

"I do feel we need to get some bodies back on the field."

The Sharks will take the week off, with the Springboks at an alignment camp in Cape Town.

[rp-mc-game id="204|942324|2025"][/rp-mc-game][rp-mc-game id="204|942335|2025"][/rp-mc-game]

Apart from Eben Etzebeth, whose return date is unclear, the Sharks hope to have some of their other Boks back from injury - including Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi and Lukhanyo Am, while Makazole Mapimpi will also be back from his suspension.

"The next three weeks, we will get some players back on board, which will help."

The Durban-based franchise Zebre (March 22) and the table-topping Leinster (March 29), before heading to France to face Lyon Olympique Universitaire at Matmut Stadium de Gerland in a Challenge Cup Round of 16 play-off match.

@king365ed
@rugby365com

* Picture credit: Steve Haag sport

[rp-comp-table data="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"][/rp-comp-table]