Sharks smell Benetton blood

10/05/2024 11:41

John Plumtree says the Sharks “have the bounce in their step” as they look to continue their strong finish to the season against playoff-hunting Benetton in Durban.

The Sharks will return to Vodacom URC action on Saturday after securing a place in the EPCR Challenge Cup final with an epic playoff performance against Clermont in Lodnon.

Back at home where they are on a four-game winning run, the Sharks are looking their late-season turnaround, having won just four games in all competitions before February.

Plumtree has retained most of the squad that faced Clermont for the clash with Benetton at Kings Park, with the only changes injury-enforced as Phepsi Buthelezi, Emile van Heerden and Ethan Hooker will miss the match.

“It’s important that we maintain some momentum,” Plumtree said. “The team that I’ve named tomorrow, there’s a lot of continuity. It’s also about confidence.

“We’ve won six out of the last seven games. So we are starting to build nicely towards the back end of the season. We’ve got a real opportunity to win some silverware. It’s important that we have some continuity.

“We have massive planning going on behind the scenes because we have to travel to London for the final. There’s all sorts of details around travel and accommodation.

“It’s just really important that we focus on the next job. I gave the players a couple of days off this week just to freshen up. We’ve come back in and you can see there’s a nice bounce in their step.

“The key for us is to make sure that we go out and play well in front of our home crowd, which is really important to us. We feel like we are winning some support back after a disappointing part of the season. We just want to keep that support.

“The players are really excited about the next two or three weeks, but we need to focus on what’s right ahead of us and that’s Benetton.”

Plumtree says that while lock Van Heerden will almost certainly miss the Challenge Cup final on 24 May, he is more optimistic about getting Buthelezi, Hooker and Curwin Bosch on the plane to London.

“Phepsi Buthelezi has a hand injury. The medical team is doing some really good work with him. We are hoping that he will travel with us [for the final]. Ethan Hooker hurt his ankle. It’s touch-and-go, but he’s showing signs of improvement every day. Emile van Heerden is unlikely to play in the final, but luckily we have good backup at lock.

“Curwin is showing good signs with his shoulder. We are hoping that he will be able to play against Cardiff [on 18 May].”

Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images

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