Plumtree and the Sharks

Is it tme for  a change - has Plumtree played his hand out. Is new blood needed with a fresh approach?

I know he is missing Beast and his problems are compounded by Jannie not going well and Alberts - out of position at 7 -  is not featuring. In addition the loss of Mostert was a bad one.

I was very surprised we saw nothing of Deysel in the match. He was left on the bench. One  wonders why.

My advice  would be to the sharks is stop buying Cheetah players - its their coaches you need.

That said I still think if they get some players back they are good enough to make the top 6. Should have won on Saturday for sure.

Actually Jannie was as solid as a rock in the scrums

Things improved when Jannie departed and Herbst came on. Jannie is about to become history along with Alberts and Spiesies if they dont up their games.

Jannie is not a dominant player and we have to find a better tighthead. I saw the Crusties got nowhere with the Stormers scrum. Harris and Malherbe are surely now in the picture. Malherbe is the stronger of the two but Harris has an extremly high workrate.  Hookers are Bissie and Liebenberg followed by Strauss.

Openside thinks the sharks tight five is not up to scratch. Well they have a small loosehead. A tighthead who doesn't do much out of the scrums - compare his work rate to Harris!!

Their locks are not bad but a enforcer like Mostert was needed.

The sharks pack weighed in at 880 kg and the Chiefs at 914 kg. In the circumstances the sharks did very well as they were on top in the second half. Is the 914 kg good solid nz lard is the question.

However, when your tight five needs some assistance you could play a guy like Deysel rather than Botes. Plumtree neverthelesss was obviously keen to blunt the chiefs attack which he did achieve with two small flankers. However, I think Deysel, Coetzee and Daniels could have been tried as starters and there would have been more grunt to the pack. Or you could have had Coetzee, Alberts and Deysel (7) to start and lighten up in the second half?

It is strange how brlliant Viljoen was last year and this year is not quite it. The Cheetahs style suits him better as it doesn Bosman.  Lambie is looking good and hi sdefence against big men is exceptional. He seldom makes a wrong move and clearly has a fine rugby brain.  Whitehead is solid if unspectacular. Has talent so needs to be watched.

jannie is soft, he only looks tough, I've yet to see him impose himself on his opposite number.

Beeno you clearly know stuff all about props. Hell you rate Brok and dont rate Beast - case closed as Denise says

Dave beast is a loosehead and his competition right now is Kitshoff, Coenie and Greyling. Given how often he goes awol beast  is no certainty in my book unless he gives 100%.

Jannie is a tighthead his competition is Harris , Malherbe, WP Nel and Kruger.

Jannie is being subbed again and again because his work rate is low and his scrumming ordinary.

 As I have stated before.

Plumtree must get booted for the sake of the Sharks and SA rugby.

He plays excellent players out of position and buys bums.

Viljoen is a disaster, Bosman a bigger one and that Frenchman is a flake.

Who ever hired this NZealander and the players mentioned.

They should all be released and the Sharks should pay for them to join the Queens.

Absolute nightmare each and every time they run onto the field in a Sharks jersey.

Disaster after disaster.

Did you guys see that fantastic clearance by Viljoen in the first half when the ball travelled about  5m in his own 22...resulting in points for the Chiefs.

Wow,. What a star.

AJ my problem is that good players start to look bad. Eg Viljoen and Bosman - who played very well for the Cheetahs and were snapped up by the sharks.

Then we also have Alberts - what in world is going on with him!!! Looked like a world beater. Jannie is not performing. We know how they handled Ruan and Frans - Frans dont go back there boet!!!! What happened to Rory Kockott a major talent. Look its not that bad but there sometimes comes a time when a CEO has given what he can and run flat on ideas.

The other side of the coin, and in fairness to Plumtree, is that the loss of Mostert and Beast were severe blows to the pack. The injuries to Deysel and Kan Kan has also weakened the side. That is a lot to contend with.

The Sharks should have won against the Chiefies had the ref done his job as they were the better side. So the criticism is balanced by these facts.  Bad luck has played  a part. Its is frustrating as the sharks at full strenght are contenders. Potentially a top side.

 Beeno1,

               I hear you.

               Plumtree has actually done nothing with the Sharks since he has been in charge. He inherited a good winning squad and made trades with players (Rory Kockott) and brought in players who do not fit into the Sharks rugby playing style, namely Freddie,Viljoen and Bosman to name a few.

               Sure these guys played well for France and the Cheetahs but not for the SHARKS.

               A coach is graded by his ability to motivate his team and win. How is it possible to take experienced players and shift them around into positions that they are not suited or experienced to play in. That shows me a coach who is out of touch with the game as it is played today, even taking injury into play.

               Sorry for being so critical on Plumtree but I am concerned that he is weaking not only the Sharks team but the Springboks as well with his positional selection of key players i.e. Lambie.

                Bring back Muir to coach the Sharks......he built up an excellent squad as well as a winning one.

               Simple formula.....make changes from the top down.

                Sorry, but my frustration must be very evident being an older Natal/Sharks/Springbok supporter.

Muir? They would do better to bring Mac back. If not him, go shop for Mallet or someone, but Muir is a big NO-No!

 DbDraad,

                  You are correct.

                   I have got my M's crossed.

 I have been a fan of Plumtree for a while. However I am now starting to lose faith. The Rebuilding phase is bulshit - if the players continue to rotate. 

I would much preferred Jake White to take over the Sharks. The Brumbies have far less player resources, but are doing better than the Sharks. 

Jake White is proving to be a loss to Sa rugby,  Plumtree seems to have peaked. I think he needs to step up his game or be replaced at the end of the season- only wiith the right coach though. Not another animal cruelty Roedolf the red nose Reeindeer- Straulie.

Please no criticsm of Straulei a fine Springbok and rugby man.

I still feel the lounge lizards made way too much of camp Staalgraad or whatever it was.

Straulie was coach when the cuboard was bare and this was excacerbated by a large number of injuries.

As for Muir - NO, NO and NO. Get a quality guy in even if it is from overseas. Wonder what a guy like Mitchell could do if he had the Sharks resources. He may need a job next year if Queens get their way. Seems they hav egot their way but for legal action etc.

 Beeno1, I was also surprised Coetzee was on the bench for the game - I would have thought he would have been in the starting lineup but then again hindsight is a wonderful thing!