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Christo Buchner
Johannesburg – The pressure is mounting on Sharks coach John Plumtree and it appears that he will be sacked if his team has an unsuccessful Super 14 tour in Australia and New Zealand.
Even the support from the Sharks’ rugby bosses appears lukewarm after the team lost its first three matches in this year’s competition.
It was reported this week that Sharks coach John Plumtree was not prepared to comment when he was asked whether the coach’s job is safe.
And, to make things worse, the Waratahs have stated that they will have no mercy for the struggling Sharks in Sydney on Saturday.
The Sharks have a poor record in Sydney. The last time that they won there was in 2000.
Of the eight games they have played there against the Waratahs, they have won only two.
“It’s sometimes a case that a team full of champion players like the Sharks aren’t a champion team,” Waratahs prop Al Baxter told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said that he realised how dangerous a wounded side like the Sharks could be.
“They are realising that they are running out of time and that they have to win against us. If you look at their games, they were in the picture every time with 20 minutes left to play, but just could not make it.”
Waratahs:
15. Sosene Anesi, 14. Lachie Turner, 13. Tom Carter, 12. Berrick Barnes, 11. Drew Mitchell, 10. Daniel Halangahu, 9. Luke Burgess, 8. Wycliff Palu, 7. Phil Waugh (captain), 6. Dave Dennis, 5. Kane Douglas, 4. Dean Mumm, 3. Al Baxter, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson
Substitutes: 16. Damien Fitzpatrick, 17. Sekope Kepu, 18. Will Caldwell, 19. Ben Mowen, 20. Josh Holmes, 21. Kurtley Beale, 22. Rob Horne
Johannesburg – The pressure is mounting on Sharks coach John Plumtree and it appears that he will be sacked if his team has an unsuccessful Super 14 tour in Australia and New Zealand.
Even the support from the Sharks’ rugby bosses appears lukewarm after the team lost its first three matches in this year’s competition.
It was reported this week that Sharks coach John Plumtree was not prepared to comment when he was asked whether the coach’s job is safe.
And, to make things worse, the Waratahs have stated that they will have no mercy for the struggling Sharks in Sydney on Saturday.
The Sharks have a poor record in Sydney. The last time that they won there was in 2000.
Of the eight games they have played there against the Waratahs, they have won only two.
“It’s sometimes a case that a team full of champion players like the Sharks aren’t a champion team,” Waratahs prop Al Baxter told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said that he realised how dangerous a wounded side like the Sharks could be.
“They are realising that they are running out of time and that they have to win against us. If you look at their games, they were in the picture every time with 20 minutes left to play, but just could not make it.”
Waratahs:
15. Sosene Anesi, 14. Lachie Turner, 13. Tom Carter, 12. Berrick Barnes, 11. Drew Mitchell, 10. Daniel Halangahu, 9. Luke Burgess, 8. Wycliff Palu, 7. Phil Waugh (captain), 6. Dave Dennis, 5. Kane Douglas, 4. Dean Mumm, 3. Al Baxter, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson
Substitutes: 16. Damien Fitzpatrick, 17. Sekope Kepu, 18. Will Caldwell, 19. Ben Mowen, 20. Josh Holmes, 21. Kurtley Beale, 22. Rob Horne
