Sharks’ belief key to spike in form
29 Jul 2012
John Plumtree says the Sharks always believed that they would overcome their travel fatigue in Saturday’s semi-final and has high hopes of toppling the Chiefs in the final.
The Sharks went into Saturday’s semi-final as underdogs. They may have played the best rugby over the past few weeks and are a team stacked with Springboks, but it was widely believed that travelling to Australia and back in the space of a week would drain them physically.
They were up against a Stormers side that had finished top of the Super Rugby league. They were playing a side that boasted an unbeaten record at Newlands in 2012. What chance did the Sharks realistically have?
Plumtree was satisfied yet measured when speaking about his side’s performance following the 26-19 victory on Saturday. Not many would have marked them as favourites in this situation, but as Plumtree reveals, what ultimately mattered was that the team believed the win was within their grasp.
‘We have gathered confidence and grew a bit at the same time [in the build up to the play-offs],’ the Sharks coach said. ‘It has just snowballed, the team has really started to believe in themselves 20 to 30% more.
‘That was crucial, we were playing knockout rugby five or six weeks ago and that hardened us and the leadership grew with that.’
The Sharks travelled 11 000km to Brisbane for last week’s qualifying play-off, and 11 000km back for this week’s semi-final in Cape Town. Plumtree played down the travel factor and it’s effect on their preparations and on the players’ bodies.
‘We never made a big thing about it. We didn’t want to use it as an excuse and I think that was critical to this performance. I’m really proud of the way the guys got over it mentally.
‘My own personal opinion about it [jet-lag] is that the players are younger and get over it quicker. We’ve just got to get these boys back up for the final.’
The Sharks will fly out to Australasia on Sunday. They plan to stay in Sydney for the week and fly to Hamilton on Friday. The final will take place on Saturday.
‘If we can get up physically for this game, anything can happen,’ said Plumtree. ‘That’ll be the challenge for us.’
Losing captain of the Stormers Jean de Villiers said it would make for a fantastic story if the Sharks could win the title in spite of the challenges of travel.
‘I said it earlier in the week, the Sharks are on a roll, and you wouldn’t bet against them. They’ve shown they can overcome the travel factor.
‘It will be tough, and I think the whole of South Africa should get behind them now,’ said De Villiers. ‘They’ve got a fantastic chance.’
By Jon Cardinelli, at Newlands
77 Comments
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28 Jul 2012, 21:28 pm
dragons !!
28 Jul 2012, 21:42 pm
proud of keagan and the boys
28 Jul 2012, 22:24 pm
What a performance – not perfect, but the Sharks need one more week on the up to finally deliver on their potential.
And a massive feather in JDVs cap for his gracious words of support.
Sharks forever!
29 Jul 2012, 00:23 am
We believe!
29 Jul 2012, 09:06 am
@NicG-3: Agree on JdV. Good leadership. Lets get behind the Sharks and Die Bokke!
29 Jul 2012, 09:35 am
Granitic?
29 Jul 2012, 09:38 am
I take my hat off to the sharks team, they were the better team on the day yesterday day. As a stormers fans I’m gutted!!!
I can’t see them winning in NZ that’s just a stretch to far I’m afraid.
Stormers had the best chance to take the title
so guess it’s better luck next time SA
29 Jul 2012, 09:43 am
Take a bow our Bok Captain. Jean great captain and always gracious in defeat.
29 Jul 2012, 09:46 am
Sharks just need to rest this week. No training will help from here it is rest we need. Really hope none of the players have picked up any injuries. That was a hard game against the Stormers last night.
Travel safe Sharkies. You have made us very proud.
29 Jul 2012, 09:47 am
Well spoken Captain JDV!
29 Jul 2012, 10:05 am
Well said, jdv, I think most saffas will support the guppies ( ok maybe a few sour do os’s may not), but me thinks it’s a bridge too far
29 Jul 2012, 10:17 am
@8/9 Puma… How proud? Got to say JDV is not everyone’s favourite, but I thought he had a good game and he is a true gent – tough to be that gracious when it means that much (refer to the a-hole Genia).
So the Chiefs pulled off the win – it means we probably have to kick on one more gear from the Stormers/Reds performances, but no doubt doable with the way the guys are playing.
It was a real team performance again, but JPP, Ludik, Michalak, Coetzee, Daniel, Bresler (immense on D) and Kanko (one of his best tight games) were all brilliant.
1 more game to hopefully come good on our talent.
SHARKS FOREVER!
29 Jul 2012, 10:25 am
Well played to the Sharks, a deserved win, and good luck next weekend.
29 Jul 2012, 11:03 am
@NicG-3:
@NicG-12:
@Puma-8:
Yes well done to JDV for his words. In fact he has exceeded my high expectations leadership wise.
Earlier in the season he put out a team appeal for the Stormers supporters to behave themselves and not boo the opposition.
I have always been critical of the Newlands experience. I have been a winning and losing visiting supporter at every ground in the country and Newlands has had the worst experiences.
I must give credit where credit is due, yesterday was great.
I bought conventional R230 tickets on the web. The ground was packed and at least in my block the behavior of the spectators was excellent. Sure they backed their side and that is great but no boorish behaviour. I haven’t watched the game on TV yet and maybe there was booing but I do believe it was less append than before.
As for the game, it was a good one, typical semi final.
I just hope my sharks can recover from the flight. The Chiefs will also be feeling the after effects of the Saders game.
Go sharks. May the best side win and I hope it’s them
29 Jul 2012, 11:40 am
To fly over and try beat the Chiefs might be a bit much… But the Sharks owe the Chiefs one this season… Hope they can do it…
29 Jul 2012, 12:14 pm
Ja, good game Sharkies, you deserved the win. Go get the Chiefs!
To the Stormers, don’t lose the faith, you are improving and the pack is still young. I see a bright future!
29 Jul 2012, 17:35 pm
Good luck Sharks
Go win the whole thing now
29 Jul 2012, 17:47 pm
yip that was the ENTIRE diffs between Sharks and Stormers yesterday
Sharks BELIEVED they could win it.. and Stormers did NOT
THAT was the entire difference between the 2 teams .. and it STARTS in the change room and in the Coaches box..
If you shrivel up in fear awaiting your D day destination the opposition gonna come along and slit your exposed bloody throat when you allow all your wounds to fester out in the wide weakened woe is we open.
Stormers chucked that game on the funeral pyre and Sharks took advantage of a weak minded poorly coached team and took the floundering home team apart at the cutting edge of the cataclysmic cauldron.
29 Jul 2012, 18:29 pm
Morning skoppie
29 Jul 2012, 18:35 pm
I read your posts about coaching and I would agree
A poor game plan no plan to adjust when things were not going well
poor attacking plan
But full credit to the Sharks
29 Jul 2012, 18:40 pm
@CoachPete-20: NO NO NO no credit to the Sharks, according to that asswhipe the Stormers beat themselves
29 Jul 2012, 18:45 pm
@fitz1ella-18: Skop has just whined and whinged about the stormers, giving no credit to the Sharks. Obviously he is so deep in his self pity that he forgot that a team came to Newlands and outplayed the Stormers. Yep, that is how it went down. The Sharks arrived against all odds and were the better side on the day.
29 Jul 2012, 18:59 pm
Well done Sharks! in spite of Plumtree and his his pathetic team selections you guys have done brilliantly.
Plumtree needs help when it comes to selecting teams
Start of the season he had Michalak at scrumhalf, what a joke, he had Sykes at starting lock, pathetic, he had the one dimensional Deysel as a starter, what a joke and then he toyed with Bosman instead of the Whitehead
Sharks need a scrummie, what happened to Hoffman?
29 Jul 2012, 19:01 pm
@mako-22: not on the day, they have been on song for the last 7 weeks, why did they lose against the Lions
Imagine the Sharks winning the Super trophy…..the Lions can then claim they beat the Super 15 Champions, not just beat them but gave them a klap
29 Jul 2012, 19:07 pm
@JL1-24: You are right, it would be bizzarre…
That is one game that is a mystery. I can only think that the springbok team having just been announced and the English series being about to start…. hatever, best forgotten now!
29 Jul 2012, 19:10 pm
Stormers beat themselves.. actually Coetsee beat Stormers.. his lack of knowing how to win when crunch time comes along when selection chips are down he reverts to brain dead panic station options instead of real encouraging pro active positive solutions .. that is how Stormers beat themselves… Sharks just lapped up the lucky packet gifts left on the side of the lack of belief plate..
29 Jul 2012, 19:11 pm
@sharks_lover-21:
Yeah not me
I gave all credit to your team yesterday
29 Jul 2012, 19:15 pm
stormers looked nervous as a team in this game
gave the psychological advantage away right there
considering the stadium looked decidedly, nay overwhelmingly, white and blue… i cant understand why they would have choked
29 Jul 2012, 19:17 pm
@mako-25: I hope Sharks smash those cheating Kiwis. Sharks have great players but Plum just struggles to the selection right
@fitz1ella-26: Not just that, Stormers need another hooker, prop, lock and number eight
Peter grant cannot start a back line and cannot kick out of hand, Juan de Jongh is also a player that just cannot pass at all, no wonder he is not in the Bok team
29 Jul 2012, 19:17 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-28: That is not a choke, they played as well as they could, it was just not good enough
29 Jul 2012, 19:22 pm
@CoachPete-27:
i know pete, and thanks, Sorry about the loss,
i was referring to you know who in that post
29 Jul 2012, 19:25 pm
Sharks were worthy winners yesterday
As I have said You can only play as well as your opposition allows you to.
Sharks played better than the Stormers Full stop
Yes some strange coaching by Stormers staff. Never changed things. Seemed to think its ok to win on defense and kicks at goal and not tries
Plus Stormers could not protect their ball
Once again Daniels stoodd out IMO
But doe s not fit into boring style of HM rugby sad
29 Jul 2012, 19:25 pm
@sharks_lover-31:
Yes i know
29 Jul 2012, 19:27 pm
I think a few weeks back my Bok pack was :
beast
Bismark
J dup
Alberts
Estabeth
Daniels
Coetzee
Kanko (and later maybe Vermeulen)
well it got slammed lol
29 Jul 2012, 19:28 pm
@JL1-30:
Yes I agree i would not call it a choke
29 Jul 2012, 19:28 pm
@JL1-29: Juan de Jongh did NOT see the ball once yesterday .. I cannot recall ONE time he got the ball in any reaonable amount of space and that goes down to COACHING… and POOR strategies..
Nothing wrong with the make up of the team and the personnel available it is the Coaches who are BRAIN DEAD and cannot read a situation where and how to make best use of resources.. and capitulate the positive mindset over to the opposition which shows simply they got NO BALLS for this job..
Simple AS..!!
29 Jul 2012, 19:31 pm
@sharks_lover-31:
Hey give credit to Skoppie he has been on here blogging and expressing his opinion Many Stormers fans have not been on at all
But it seems many Sharks fans go to be early there in SA lol
Or sitl hung over ?
29 Jul 2012, 19:35 pm
It was a CHOKE !! .. try call it whatever else you wanna call it .. but call a choke for what it IS.. a goddamn silver platter to the opposition coaching capitulating give up the bloody ghost CHOKE.. !!!
29 Jul 2012, 19:36 pm
@JL1-30:
ok, agree to disagree
i definetely think they were nervous in the opening exchanges, whereas in almost all of their conference stage games they got off to really good starts and in fact scored most of their points in the first 20 to 40 min.
this was a knockout and i think the nerves showed.
29 Jul 2012, 19:41 pm
i cant believe there are ppl on here questioning plums selection
it was pure genius yesterday, leaving bosman out and playing viljoen
viljoens massive boot was one of the major reasons the sharks won
i cant be the only one to see it this way?
29 Jul 2012, 19:41 pm
@JL1-23: Stop being an *****. He had half the team out with injuries at the start, who would you have preferred him to play?
Noddy? Big Ears, Mr Plod?
29 Jul 2012, 19:44 pm
and as for the stormers choking, thats ridiculous
theyre just NOT good enough.. simple as that
put the team sheets next to each other, theres only one winner
stormers 3 point win earlier in the season was against a weakened sharks pack and they struggled to barely get over the line
if the stormers ever wanna win this comp, ACoetsee, peter grant and duvenage have to go- theyre all average at best
29 Jul 2012, 19:44 pm
@jacoshark-40: I agree with you
29 Jul 2012, 19:49 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-39:
It was a CHOKE.. pure and bloody simply put Stormers beat themselves and CHOKED on their OWN fear of losing the semi final… which they psychologically worked themselves up into a goddamn fearful frenzy about LOSING the semi at home in front of their home crowd..
They FROZE.. was plainly obvious.. just look how they tentatively came crawling out the change room compared to Sharks who came busting out in expectation for the big brawl…. 2 weeks of preparing to CHOKE.!!
Stormers put up a measly little fight but it was only half a fight, and their strategies sucked to high f’ng heaven with INDIVIDUALS trying to take on the entire Sharks defensive pattern time after time again and again.. as ONLY Stormers under Alister Coetsee and Robbie Fleck knows how…even to the last penalty on full time 5 mts out.. they couldn’t put it past the defensive advantage line ..
29 Jul 2012, 19:52 pm
@fitz1ella-44:
id have to disagree
it was a young forward plack playing against seasoned (worldclass) springboks
regardless of the travel factor, id have been disappointed if our bok front row didnt dominate- it was simply men against boys
29 Jul 2012, 19:53 pm
Front row.. – Sharks
2nd row – Stormers
Back row – Stormers (except for Fourie playing OUT of position at 8 which is bloody ridiculous
half backs – evens
centers – Stormers
back 3 – evens
under DECENT coaching and strategics SDtormers could have and SHOULD have beaten this so called superior Bok laden Sharks team..
It was NOTHING short of one big fat mammoth CHOKE.. by predominantly coaches and strategists of the Stormers team.. NOT the players on the field.)
29 Jul 2012, 19:57 pm
@jacoshark-45: Only your front row and your fly half were the big difference.. and your secret weapon at No.13
jdV should have been at 13 and de Jongh at 12 would have made a HUGE difference to Stormers back line.. .. and we needed a proper 8 at back of scrum or at worst a decent 2nd row man playing at 8.. which was the correct way to have gone..
and of course our dumb delusional coaching staff who played WRONG choices as starters and bench options .. and cannot put a correct attack model formula on the table and who are simply NOT up to this level of competition at the big stage stakes…
29 Jul 2012, 20:06 pm
@fitz1ella-44:
yip
have to agree with you pretty much skop
another opportunity lost, another season wasted
will be interesting to see what wp does going forward (team wise as well coaching)
29 Jul 2012, 20:11 pm
@fitz1ella-47:
haha youre a joker mate
you really think the stormers have the better of the backrow?
hahahaha the best backrow in the comp (daniel, coetsee n kanko) are miles ahead of kolisi- who went missing here, elstadt who is just a thug and actually a lock and fourie who is a hooker but had one good game against the rebels
you clearly know lots about rugby
29 Jul 2012, 20:13 pm
and as for the backs- stormers have backs?
haha
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