Plumtree eyes Sharks top job
Mon, 05 May 2008 15:21
Sharks assistant coach John Plumtree has indicated that he would jump at the chance to become head coach of the Sharks, should the position become available.
Sharks head coach Dick Muir has been strongly linked with the Springbok assistant coach position, and more recently European clubs like Leicester Tigers have revealed their interest in securing the services of the highly-rated Muir.
Muir's departure would leave the door open for candidates like New Zealander Plumtree, who has a wealth of coaching experience.
Plumtree has coached Wellington in New Zealand's NPC (now Air New Zealand Cup), Swansea in the Welsh League, and has also coached the Sharks in Super 14 and Currie Cup rugby.
The tall Kiwi, who also played lock for the Sharks in his playing days, confirmed his interest in the Sharks top job, according to rugbyheaven.co.nz.
"If Dick takes the assistant coaches' job with the Springboks, which isn't confirmed yet, I'd certainly like to do it," Plumtree said.
"I've got the support of the players and the Sharks are in my blood. It's been great [at the Sharks]. The players are good to work with, we've got a lot of young players in key positions.
"We've got the whole game but we've got to sort out some fundamental errors like putting kickoffs out on the full and things like that."
Plumtree also spoke about the Sharks and their current situation in the Super 14. The Durban franchise has fallen off the pace alarmingly in the past three weeks, after spending most of the season in second place on the standings behind the Crusaders.
The assistant coach said it was now imperative for his team to capitalise on their final two round-robin games at their home base, Absa Stadium.
"There's plenty of sides that have come out of the visitors' changing room here [in Christchurch] with good efforts but not the win and we weren't good enough to win this," he said.
"We're not dead yet, there's still two games to be played and we've got to make sure we get the two results in Durban.
"We'll be playing against a Cheetahs side that will want to beat us, there's a bit of history between the two teams and obviously the Chiefs are still in the money as well.
"We've got to work hard when we get back to Durban, I don't know what the supporters will be like back home, we've lost three games in a row and that's the first time that's happened in mine and Dick's [Muir] tenure, but we'll need that support."
Plumtree was full of praise for the Crusaders and said he admired the way they're still able to pick up wins when they're playing below their best.
"They're a good side and they know how to win," he said.
"Some of our guys were saying it wasn't the toughest game they've had this year but they won and we didn't. They've got the ability to perform consistently.
"Not all of them had good games against us, but they had some that stood up and played really well when they needed to.
"Also they have a great bench having guys come off like Mose Tuiali'i just lifts them. They deserve to be where they are."
