Plumtree says Sharks are ready to advance - Rugby News Update
47-year-old Natal Sharks coach is more than confident that his team will press forward through the Super Rugby tournament and that the Sharks have it in them to win against the Reds in the play-offs on Saturday.
The Durban based team goes against the Queensland Reds who are the defending champions, on Saturday, and with a victory on their side, the Sharks are determined to advance further than they did last year, where they only managed
to reach the play-offs.
The former Natal Sharks flanker was reported saying, "We've made the top six and the plus for me is we've also developed some really nice juniors." In 2007 the Natal Sharks were defeated by the Bulls, which resulted in the
team missing the title, but the Sharks managed to stay in the top four teams the following season.
Domestically, the Natal Sharks have done well by making it to the top three in the last four Currie Cup finals, winning two of them. The head coach of the Natal Sharks, John Plumtree, had this to say when asked about the upcoming match against the Reds,
"You look at Paul Jordaan, Piet-Steph (du Toit), Marcell (Coetzee), the way he's come through this year.”
The 47-year-old continued, "So I think we're in better shape than we've been in the past and we're still managing to chase finals.” The former flanker for the Sharks further said, "I mean three Currie Cup finals in four years
and the play-offs again, which is really good news. The stuff up, I guess, is we have to travel, but that's what we have to do."
The Sharks had managed to reach the last stage of the Currie Cup, in which they were beaten by the Crusaders, who are the seven-time winners of the Currie Cup competition. This time around, the Sharks won four times consecutively before losing unexpectedly
against the Lions.
The Sharks advancing in the top 6 also meant that three South African teams are in the top 6, including the champions, Stormers, who are going to be the hosting the finals, that is if they win against the Bulls in the semi-final which is due next week.
Tags: