A disappointed John Plumtree says the Sharks paid the price for “terrible” decision-making in surrendering a 15-point lead to lose against the Lions on Saturday.
The Sharks head coach expressed his frustrations after the Lions scored two second-half tries, supported by the boot of Sanele Nohamba, to clinch a 20-18 comeback win in Durban, and became the first Lions team to win at Kings Park since 2017.
Boeta Chamberlain had an opportunity to win it for the Sharks after the hooter, but his penalty attempt sailed wide, and consigned Plumtree’s charges to an eighth defeat in nine Vodacom URC matches this season.
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Having missed last week’s loss to the Stormers due to illness, Sharks enforcer Eben Etzebeth was named Man of the Match after a world-class performance, yet speaking at the post-match conference, Plumtree questioned the leadership in the Bok-powered outfit.
“To pretty much give the match away like that, we certainly have a few problems that we’re going to have to look at. Without being too disrespectful to the Lions, they put us under pressure, but we didn’t help ourselves either,” he told reporters.
“Every coach feels under pressure when you’re going through a patch like this, it’s perfectly natural. We’re all working real hard and we’re trying our best.
“Like always, I look at myself first and ask what I could’ve done better, but I’m disappointed with that second half.
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“There’s something going on with the group … and we all feel it. We felt good [before the game] and felt good all week, but under pressure we didn’t respond well, and our decision-making under pressure was terrible tonight, and it’s going to have to go down to the leaders.”
The Sharks will now turn their attention to the Challenge Cup next Saturday when they host French Top 14 outfit Oyonnax, and Plumtree will be sweating the availability of another injured forward.
He added: “All I know is Monday comes around again and we go again, but it’s going to be quite hard to pick ourselves up off the canvas from this one. But we’ve got no choice, we have to do it.
“Hanro Jacobs looks like he’s done his AC joint in the shoulder, and that’s a real danger that we’ve lost another prop. But hopefully he can recover quickly.”
Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix