Durban - The Sharks dominated the Currie Cup awards for October when their head coach, John Plumtree, and talented scrumhalf Cobus Reinach were named as the Currie Cup Coach and Player of the Month respectively.

Other nominees for the two awards included Golden Lions coach, Johan Ackermann, who also led his team to a home semi-final, as well as two versatile loose forwards in Western Province’s Deon Fourie and the Sharks’ Keegan Daniel.

Plumtree’s team has been very solid lately and last weekend sealed top position on the Currie Cup log thanks to a 42-3 win over Griquas in Durban. It was also the biggest victory in this competition in 2012.

It’s the second time this season Plumtree has been named Currie Cup coach of the month - he also walked away with the spoils in August. Those in the know say his ability to inspire players to reach their potential and to deliver the desired results under pressure are reasons why the Sharks have done so well this year.

The 22-year-old Reinach, meanwhile, proved to be a live-wire for the Sharks since his elevation to the starting XV. He has added a new dimension to his team’s attack with his ability to spot gaps in the opposition’s defence and has not only set up many tries for the KwaZulu-Natalians, but also scored a few himself.

The announcements were made at a press conference following the Sharks’ training session in Durban on Thursday, where their team for Saturday’s Currie Cup semi-final against the Blue Bulls was named.

Both winners walked away with R10 000 each, courtesy of tournament sponsor, Absa.

The Currie Cup Coach and Player of the Month competitions are designed to acknowledge and reward coaches for their outstanding leadership and players for their consistency and for significantly contributing to the overall performance of their teams.
The monthly winners were chosen by a media panel consisting of respected journalists and commentators.