Sharks face tricky Griquas clash

Steve Haag Gallo Images

Meyer Bosman, who claimed the man of the match award after the Sharks come-from-behind win over the Cheetahs last week, has come in for special praise from coach John Plumtree.

THE Sharks’ ongoing failure to have good starts in Currie Cup rugby plus there being no chance of them underestimating Griquas in Kimberley tomorrow (3pm) guarantees an explosive start to a match when the log leaders visit a side that beat the defending champions away last week.

There is one game to go in the first round and the Sharks are top of the log, which is a pretty good effort from a squad that through Springbok call-ups bears no resemblance to the one that did duty in Super Rugby.

“We don’t have a big squad to operate with so I have been very happy with the way they’ve applied themselves,” said coach John Plumtree.

“We’ve seen glimpses of good play and we’ve also been quite average as well, but I guess every side can say that.

“It’s not a long competition and it’s very important that as a team we gradually improve so when it comes to three or four rounds from the finals, we’re getting it together.

“We’re slowly getting there but we can’t give any more teams 20 point advantages at half-time, as we did against the Cheetahs last week. You can’t afford that and we definitely don’t want to be doing that in Kimberley.”

To that extent, Plumtree is looking to senior players to step up to the mark, and so far he has been pleased with the role of Meyer Bosman in the backs.

“Meyer has been going really well and enjoying the leadership responsibility, he’s making the plays. He has been accurate defensively, his awareness of space has been good, that long pass he threw to Odwa Ndungane was crucial against the Cheetahs and his kicking game is outstanding too. He has the full package of skills. He is getting that confidence he needs.”

Regarding overall leadership, Plumtree was pleased with the supporting role that Super Rugby captain Keegan Daniel gave Currie Cup captain Jean Deysel during the 34-32 win over the Free Staters.

“Keegan will remain in a supporting role because we don’t know if he might be called back to the Boks. We need Jean to grow in his role,” Plumtree said.

“You will never stop Keegan from talking to the referee, as he did against the Cheetahs, because if he feels hard done by he’s not going to shut up – he does not speak to the referee if it is not justified.

“On the weekend he felt a bit hard done by a couple of times and that’s why he spoke to the referee, and the way Rasta [Rasivhenge, referee] spoke back was really good as well,” Plumtree added.

“He explained the situation and didn’t tell Keegan to shut up because Keegan deserves more respect than that.

“Keegan’s not the kind of character that would challenge all the calls. Jean will retain the captaincy.”

In other matches tomorrow, the Lions, showing eight changes to their starting line-up which lost to the Griquas last week, visit the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld and the Cheetahs host Western Province.