Is Jimmy Stonehouse packing his bags for a stint with the Sharks? Well, rumor has it that discussions are still swimming along between the Pumas head honcho and the floundering Sharks squad. The team's decidedly shaky start to the URC season—drawing one and losing three of their first four matches, including a recent 34-26 schooling by Ulster at Kings Park—has left current head coach John Plumtree treading water as he preps for an upcoming clash with the Scarlets in Durban.
It all seemed so promising back in late September when whispers of Stonehouse joining the Sharks in an advisory role began to surface. Plumtree himself sang praises of Stonehouse's robust, old-school rugby chops, claiming he would be keeping a watchful eye over the team. "A thorough rugby man and a bit old school like me," Plumtree had said, expecting Stonehouse to sprinkle some of his seasoned magic over the squad during their early-season excursions.
"A thorough rugby man and a bit old school like me."
However, as it turned out, the plan to integrate Stonehouse into the Sharks' waters never quite took off. The Pumas coach, currently tied up in the Cheetahs’ Challenge Series, revealed a rather amusing twist to the tale. According to him, the news of his supposed advisory role was as surprising to him as to anyone else. "After that, there was a conversation with me about when I can travel abroad," Stonehouse shared, shedding light on the logistical nightmare that followed.
The subsequent cancellation of the Pumas’ fixtures against Portugal and Georgia only added to the confusion, thwarting any immediate plans for Stonehouse to join the Sharks. "Try as they might, the Sharks could not arrange a visa for me to join them abroad, and I am still in Nelspruit," he added, clearly getting a kick out of the pundits speculating about his impact—or lack thereof—at the Sharks.
"Try as they might, the Sharks could not arrange a visa for me to join them abroad, and I am still in Nelspruit."
Despite the geographical and bureaucratic hurdles, dialogue between Stonehouse and the Sharks persists. Whether this saga ends with Stonehouse finally making waves in Durban or continues to be a series of missed connections and cancellations, remains to be seen. As the Sharks navigate through their mini-crisis, the rugby world watches eagerly, waiting to see if this potential partnership can turn the tide in their favor.
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Is Jimmy Stonehouse packing his bags for a stint with the Sharks? Well, rumor has it that discussions are still swimming along between the Pumas head honcho and the floundering Sharks squad. The team's decidedly shaky start to the URC season—drawing one and losing three of their first four matches, including a recent 34-26 schooling by Ulster at Kings Park—has left current head coach John Plumtree treading water as he preps for an upcoming clash with the Scarlets in Durban.
It all seemed so promising back in late September when whispers of Stonehouse joining the Sharks in an advisory role began to surface. Plumtree himself sang praises of Stonehouse's robust, old-school rugby chops, claiming he would be keeping a watchful eye over the team. "A thorough rugby man and a bit old school like me," Plumtree had said, expecting Stonehouse to sprinkle some of his seasoned magic over the squad during their early-season excursions.
"A thorough rugby man and a bit old school like me."
However, as it turned out, the plan to integrate Stonehouse into the Sharks' waters never quite took off. The Pumas coach, currently tied up in the Cheetahs’ Challenge Series, revealed a rather amusing twist to the tale. According to him, the news of his supposed advisory role was as surprising to him as to anyone else. "After that, there was a conversation with me about when I can travel abroad," Stonehouse shared, shedding light on the logistical nightmare that followed.
The subsequent cancellation of the Pumas’ fixtures against Portugal and Georgia only added to the confusion, thwarting any immediate plans for Stonehouse to join the Sharks. "Try as they might, the Sharks could not arrange a visa for me to join them abroad, and I am still in Nelspruit," he added, clearly getting a kick out of the pundits speculating about his impact—or lack thereof—at the Sharks.
"Try as they might, the Sharks could not arrange a visa for me to join them abroad, and I am still in Nelspruit."
Despite the geographical and bureaucratic hurdles, dialogue between Stonehouse and the Sharks persists. Whether this saga ends with Stonehouse finally making waves in Durban or continues to be a series of missed connections and cancellations, remains to be seen. As the Sharks navigate through their mini-crisis, the rugby world watches eagerly, waiting to see if this potential partnership can turn the tide in their favor.