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Durban - Sharks coach John Plumtree paid tribute to the replacements who ignited a dramatic come from behind fight to earn a draw against the Lions on Saturday afternoon in their penultimate Super Rugby match.
"It would have been nice to win in Jo'Burg but we obviously got off to a pretty bad start," the coach admitted.
"In the last three or four games we've had to come from behind and the boys on the bench came on and did a great job for us. It was the same against the Cheetahs, but we have to start better in this game."
According to Sharks website editor, Michael Marnewick, The Sharks' aim going into the game was to absorb everything the Lions threw at them, and later in the game, when travel fatigue might be a factor (the Lions had returned from their overseas tour that week) unleash the reserves to break their backs. While most of that worked, they didn't account for the fact that the Lions were breathing dangerous fire.
"In the first half, we wanted to play in the Lions' half and we wanted to get possession and build some pressure but in the second half, we had no choice, we had to play from deep. I think we played some really good rugby.
"The Lions got tired because we gave the ball a bit more width. So returning from their overseas trip would have affected them in last 20 minutes when we upped the tempo, which was always going to be the plan against them, to up the tempo at the end of the game whether we were up or down.
But we didn't think we would have to score three tries in the last 15 or 20 minutes just to break even. Again, it goes back to the start, we have to make sure it's not a recurring theme this weekend."
The Lions pack managed two tries that were mirror images of each other when they drove from lineouts to score important tries, which Plumtree admitted was very disappointing to allow the Lions forwards to drive them over the line. "The big one for us was allowing their forwards to dominate their driving."
At 30 points to nine down, The Sharks looked in serious trouble but staged a fantastic fightback as they hauled in the 21 deficit points to earn two log points out of the game.
"At a stage it looked like we weren't going to get anything points' wise," said Plumtree but ultimately with the Bulls winning, it didn't matter the outcome of our game. With the Waratahs winning as well, it all comes down to this coming week."
The Bulls leapfrogged The Sharks into fifth place and with the Waratahs facing the Brumbies at home, the heat is very much on The Sharks when they take on the Bulls this Saturday at Loftus. They are unlikely to have the services of Steven Sykes who The Sharks confirmed had hurt his knee and couldn't come out after half-time. "He's pretty doubtful for the Bulls game this weekend but that's the extent of our injury problems from this game.
"But we are hoping to have Odwa Ndungane which gives me some more options which we'll definitely need in Pretoria."
Willem Alberts and Jean Deysel are back while Jannie du Plessis could also be in the frame for a match that Plumtree said would have been nice not to have so much riding on.
"We were sort of hoping that we might have the job done before we arrive in Pretoria, but it's not to be. These clashes are always really big between the two teams, intense derby games. The Bulls are showing what an outstanding side they are, wining six in a row and put in another massive effort to win on Saturday against the Stormers. They've found some real form and confidence at the right time."
"It would have been nice to win in Jo'Burg but we obviously got off to a pretty bad start," the coach admitted.
"In the last three or four games we've had to come from behind and the boys on the bench came on and did a great job for us. It was the same against the Cheetahs, but we have to start better in this game."
According to Sharks website editor, Michael Marnewick, The Sharks' aim going into the game was to absorb everything the Lions threw at them, and later in the game, when travel fatigue might be a factor (the Lions had returned from their overseas tour that week) unleash the reserves to break their backs. While most of that worked, they didn't account for the fact that the Lions were breathing dangerous fire.
"In the first half, we wanted to play in the Lions' half and we wanted to get possession and build some pressure but in the second half, we had no choice, we had to play from deep. I think we played some really good rugby.
"The Lions got tired because we gave the ball a bit more width. So returning from their overseas trip would have affected them in last 20 minutes when we upped the tempo, which was always going to be the plan against them, to up the tempo at the end of the game whether we were up or down.
But we didn't think we would have to score three tries in the last 15 or 20 minutes just to break even. Again, it goes back to the start, we have to make sure it's not a recurring theme this weekend."
The Lions pack managed two tries that were mirror images of each other when they drove from lineouts to score important tries, which Plumtree admitted was very disappointing to allow the Lions forwards to drive them over the line. "The big one for us was allowing their forwards to dominate their driving."
At 30 points to nine down, The Sharks looked in serious trouble but staged a fantastic fightback as they hauled in the 21 deficit points to earn two log points out of the game.
"At a stage it looked like we weren't going to get anything points' wise," said Plumtree but ultimately with the Bulls winning, it didn't matter the outcome of our game. With the Waratahs winning as well, it all comes down to this coming week."
The Bulls leapfrogged The Sharks into fifth place and with the Waratahs facing the Brumbies at home, the heat is very much on The Sharks when they take on the Bulls this Saturday at Loftus. They are unlikely to have the services of Steven Sykes who The Sharks confirmed had hurt his knee and couldn't come out after half-time. "He's pretty doubtful for the Bulls game this weekend but that's the extent of our injury problems from this game.
"But we are hoping to have Odwa Ndungane which gives me some more options which we'll definitely need in Pretoria."
Willem Alberts and Jean Deysel are back while Jannie du Plessis could also be in the frame for a match that Plumtree said would have been nice not to have so much riding on.
"We were sort of hoping that we might have the job done before we arrive in Pretoria, but it's not to be. These clashes are always really big between the two teams, intense derby games. The Bulls are showing what an outstanding side they are, wining six in a row and put in another massive effort to win on Saturday against the Stormers. They've found some real form and confidence at the right time."
