Massive job ahead of Sharks

Coach John Plumtree says the Sharks will have to work hard to get their Vodacom URC campaign on track after a winless start continued with a 31-5 defeat to Leinster in Dublin.

The Durbanites were outplayed by the defending champions on Saturday, leaking five tries to remain without a victory after three weeks on tour.

After defeats to Glasgow and Leinster, and a draw with the Dragons, they return home 13th on the table with just two log points.

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“It was a tough night for us,” Plumtree said. “We knew the start was going to be massively important. They came out fast and we just didn’t get the contestable kicks in terms of regaining ball in the air.

“We had a few soft moments defensively that allowed them to build up scoreboard pressure early.”

Leinster raced to a 21-5 lead by the break, with Ethan Hooker’s intercept try the Sharks’ only points of the night.

“The last 10, 15 minutes of the first half we got back into the game, but it was really a case of catch-up rugby,” Plumtree said. “In the second half we did our best but their defence was just too good.

“Once we gave them that lead, that gave them the confidence to defend really well – we just didn’t fire enough shots.”

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With matches against Ulster – who beat the Bulls on Saturday night – and the Scarlets in Durban coming up, Plumtree admits the next fortnight is crucial.

“We’ve got a massive job ahead of us over the next two weeks. We’ve got a couple of home games, we’ve got to work real hard to get into this competition.

“It was always going to be a tough competition for us with a lot of disruptions, but there are no excuses. The team’s disappointed and collectively we’ve got to take responsibility to be better.”

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