The missing ingredient Plumtree added for Sharks' success
02/28/2025 03:00 AM
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree pointed out a key factor that was missing when he took over in his second stint in 2023 at the Durban franchise.
[rp-mc-game id="204|942316|2025"][/rp-mc-game]
The Sharks were inconsistent under now Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt, who was ultimately shown the door after an embarrassing 0-35 URC home defeat to Cardiff.
Despite finishing 14th in the 2023/4 URC season, the Sharks bagged two trophies under Plumtree in his first season back - the Currie Cup and becoming the first South African team to win an EPCR trophy when they clinched the Challenge Cup against Gloucester.
The Durbanties are currently sitting pretty on the URC table in fourth place with a game-in-hand against the Lions at Ellis Park.
The article continues below...
[rp-comp-table data="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"][/rp-comp-table]
John Plumtree revealed what key issue was missing at the Sharks when he took the side over and how the changes he implemented have been reaping rewards for them when asked about the victory against the Bulls despite conceding three yellow cards.
"A key part of any team is to have a group that's prepared to go beyond for each other," the former All Black assistant coach said.
"When you're out there playing with your mate, you're going to go a bit harder, aren't you?
"Building friendships and wanting to play for each other is a key part of any team, and it's not just about having talent.
"The players want to go hard for each other - that's an added bonus.
"If we don't have that, we're never going to be the side we want to be.
"When I came to the franchise, I recognised that they didn't have that connection - we've done work on that, and it seems that they've gotten there.
"That's great, but we don't want to put ourselves in a situation where we got those yellow cards [against the Bulls].
"We got it wrong tactically in the line-out [against the Bulls], and our scrums suffered because of that.
"Jake [White] made a bit of a joke that he thought the three yellow cards might have helped us.
"I don't think I want to go through that ever again - it adds a lot of stress," Plumtree added chuckling.
The article continues below...
[rp-mc-form id="204|942316|2025"][/rp-mc-form]
The Sharks boss made a great example of the instilled culture in his side when asked about the dual playmakers in Jordan Hendrikse and Siya Masuku sharing the goal-kicking responsibilities against the Bulls.
"Against the Bulls, Jordan [Hendrikse] started, and he missed one or two [kicks at goal] and he wasn't happy.
"He gave the kicks to Siya [Masuku], and he slotted one from the touchline.
"They worked that out for themselves, and that goes back to how we are as a team - how players relate to each other.
"With Jordan to hand over the ball [to Siya Masuku] to kick at goal because he isn't feeling good about his kicking and happy for Siya to do it.
"That's what we want, it's not something that I sent out a message saying 'give the ball to Siya' because Jordan is missing.
"I'll back Jordan to get his kicking right and kick an important kick, but the fact that he handed the ball to Siya is credit to them.
"That's what we want - we've got a couple of guys who can do a job pretty well, and if it's not going well for one guy on the day, then hand the ball over."
