Mike Greenaway
The Sharks, with and without their Springboks, are like chalk and cheese, and nobody understands this better than coach John Plumtree.
This past weekend, his team showcased their prowess by defeating the 2023 champions, Munster, 41-24, following a comfortable win against the Glasgow Warriors, the reigning champions who recently outclassed the Stormers. The message to the United Rugby Championship is clear — when the Sharks are at full strength, they resemble a Springbok team and are incredibly challenging to beat.
In the forwards, they possess a formidable tight five that includes Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Trevor Nyakane, and Eben Etzebeth, with Siya Kolisi anchoring the loose trio. This powerful pack makes it unsurprising that Munster’s front line was overwhelmed in the set scrums.
Such Springbok representation enhances the performance of non-Springboks as well, with Vincent Tshituka and James Venter delivering outstanding performances against Munster.
In the backline, Grant Williams is vying for a starting position in the Springbok squad, flanked by fellow Bok Jaden Hendrikse. Meanwhile, Hendrikse’s brother, Jordan, is evolving into a refined flyhalf, showing form that has sidelined last season's standout, Siya Masuku.
In the midfield, the centre pairing of robust Andre Esterhuizen and smooth Lukhanyo Am could easily represent the Springbok starting team, while the back three of Aphelele Fassi and Makazole Mapimpi delivered sensational performances.
However, the conundrum lies in the reality that this remarkable group is frequently on national duty or being rested. Plumtree did not hold back in addressing concerns about the team’s performance without their Springboks.
“You are saying they are Springboks, but they are Sharks,” Plumtree asserted.
“If they are not available, we can’t go and get another ten Springboks to help us out when we are overseas, so we do our best to build a squad.”
Plumtree highlighted the importance of being at full strength in this competitive arena.
“The reality is that when we are at full strength, we are a very strong side, and that is what you need to do well in this competition,” he said, drawing comparison to Leinster, who have remained unbeaten with their strongest team on the field for several weeks, while the Sharks were deprived of their Springboks for three games.
“I think everyone needs to cut us a little bit of slack.”
As the Springboks embark on their end-of-year tour, Plumtree knows the challenges don't cease.
“The Boks will come back, and then we’ve got a tough match against the Stormers at home (on November 30), so the challenges just keep coming.”
He further acknowledged that he won’t always have the luxury of selecting his Boks, due to national resting protocols that stipulate each Springbok undergoes eight weeks of rest over the season.
“There is a lot to deal with,” he admitted.
“Yes, I want to win all the time, but the reality is that we are not going to be a full-strength Sharks side all the time. We can win without some of the Boks, but it is hard to win without all of them.”
Williams' contributions on both attack and defence were pivotal. In the opening minutes of the game, he deftly manoeuvred through a narrow gap in the Munster ruck defence, setting the stage for a blistering try by Fassi. Williams' electrifying breaks contributed to two additional tries.
His pace also proved invaluable on defence; a standout moment came when Munster flank Tom Ahern executed a 40m run down the touchline towards the try line. As it seemed no Shark would be able to catch him, Williams sped across in cover defence to execute an unlikely tackle that nearly thwarted the try.
“He is such a threat,” Plumtree enthused about Williams.
“When those little spaces open up, he is good enough to take them. I thought he was excellent.
“His defensive work, his covering tackling, is also very good. Munster are so dangerous with the ball, and we often had to scramble, and Grant was one of the best in that department.”