The Sharks need the John Plumtree effect

The Sharks choice to reunite with John Plumtree might well prove to be an absolute master-stroke.

A former Sharks player and coach, Plumtree knows what it means to turn out for the Kings Park faithful.

Plumtree out to restore Sharks rugby identity

Plumtree has made it clear that he wants to restore the Sharks to their former glory.

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The team had been treading water under Sean Everitt and struggled for consistency while Director of Rugby Neil Powell stood in the gap.

Being a Sharks fan recently has been a frustrating state of being with enough quality on show but frequent errors and lapses in concentration have cost them dearly.

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For the Sharks bringing back Plumtree right now seems like a no-brainer.

However, the stars needed to align to bring the Kiwi-born coach back to Durban.

Welcome home Plum

Sharks fans have warmly welcomed Plumtree home.

“It’s one of those things you think will never happen,” Plumtree told SARugbymag.co.za. 

“It’s not often you have a coach come back to a union or club for a second stint. But I left the Sharks on pretty good terms in 2013 and didn’t burn any bridges, so I guess there’s a lesson in that.

“I could have coached in Japan, which is a bit closer to New Zealand, but Durban is my rugby home and KwaZulu-Natal has always been a very special place for me. I played for the Sharks [from 1988 to 1997] and am still in contact with a lot of my former teammates from the ’90s. I’ve also got lots of other friends in Durban and my wife Lara’s mother lives there.

“Coaching a team in a tough, competitive competition like the URC, and playing in European tournaments, also appealed to me. I had a good conversation with [Sharks owner] Marco Masotti and enjoyed listening to his vision for the franchise. He is very passionate about the Sharks, and that got me excited, too.

“Marco, [Sharks CEO] Ed Coetzee and [director of rugby] Neil Powell all want to win and I’m no different. I’m coming to Durban to win. Kings Park has always been a tough place to come to and win, and I’d like to help make it a fortress again.”

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Making the Sharks great again

Plumtree wants to get the Sharks back to playing Blockbuster rugby which they have drifted away from during the ten years he has been away.

“We’ve got to create our own identity around how we’re going to play the game,” he explains. “It’s not going to be based on how anyone else plays it, but around how we coach the team to play a game that suits the personnel we’ve got.

“When I left the Sharks in 2013 they were playing a brand of rugby that everyone wanted to come watch and I want that to be the case when I leave again one day.

“I know everyone wants to win, and I appreciate that, but I also want the Sharks to play a game of rugby that they have been known for in the past – a pretty expansive game. Handling the ball can be difficult in wet European conditions and in the Durban humidity, but that won’t stop us from playing a high-intensity game.

“I’ve had a couple of conversations with [attack coach] Dave Williams and he’s pretty excited about the prospect of working at the Sharks again. Dave and I will need to work together and talk about where we want to take the Sharks’ game.”

Culture matters to Plumtree

Plumtree feels that he needs to sort out the base culture of the Sharks before things start to fall into place on the park.

“There’s a lot that needs to be done before we start playing rugby next season,” he said. 

“There’s a lot of stuff with the environment and culture that I want to change, and I’ll need to connect with the coaches and management. I want to put systems in place that allow us to flourish and grow. There’s also a lot of work to be done in terms of growing the leadership in the team.”

Plumtree will take charge of the Sharks from July.

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