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Johannesburg - Sharks coach John Plumtree has vowed to bring the Super 14 title to the city of Durban for the first time this year.
New Zealand-born Plumtree, the only non-local coach among the five South African challengers for the annual southern hemisphere championship, guided Sharks to Currie Cup glory last October.
It was the first silverware collected by the Durban outfit in 12 years and raised hopes that they can scale greater heights and succeed serial champions Canterbury Crusaders of New Zealand.
"I know the pain supporters endured during those 12 barren years when the Sharks boasted so many good players but no trophies were won," Plumtree told Durban rugby fans.
"That is why winning the Currie Cup meant so much to all of us. However, that is in the past and I can assure you we have changed our focus to the Super 14, which I hope will ensure more success."
Plumtree is blessed with an embarrassment of riches ahead of the tournament kick-off on Friday and Springbok World Cup-winning skipper John Smit may not make the starting line-up.
Boks 'Beast' Mtawarira, hooker Bismarck du Plessis and Jannie du Plesses are expected to be in the frontrow against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday with Smit deployed as an impact tighthead.
Smit played hooker when the Boks overcame England 15-6 in Paris two years ago to lift the world title a second time, but Plumtree has heeded calls from national selectors to use him as a prop, where he performed on tour last year.
Sharks reached the 2008 semi-finals before losing heavily to the Waratahs of Australia and anything less than a top-four finish would be deemed failure.
Cape Town-based Stormers came fifth and hope to go further this time as coach Johan 'Rassie' Erasmus bolsters his squad with former Bok fullback Percy Montgomery and Cheetahs loose forward Duane Vermeulen.
But Eddie Jones, the wily Australian who assisted Bok 2007 World Cup coach Jake White, believes the Stormers scrum could be their undoing as they try to emulate the Bulls and bring the trophy to South Africa.
Jones came to Cape Town with English Premiership club Saracens for a recent friendly and observed: "The Stormers cannot scrummage. What is happening to the world of rugby?"
Bok lock Victor Matfield is back from a spell in France to lead 2007 champions Bulls, who once again look awesome on paper but have flattered only to deceive too often to raise hopes of a second triumph.
Although the Lions from Johannesburg finished bottom of the table last year and the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs were one place above them, Stormers and Bok centre Jean de Villiers believes they can do better.
"I know both teams have struggled in the past but they appear well equipped now, particularly the Lions. I reckon they will knock some good teams over," he predicted.
