Latest news with #Springbok-laden
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
'It's all about the win,' says Sharks coach Plumtree ahead of URC playoff against Munster
John Plumtree Sharks coach John Plumtree, seen here with Jordan Hendrikse who is making a return to the No 10 jumper for the URC quarter-final clash against Munster. | Steve Haag Sports The Sharks have come in for some stick for their unattractive approach to winning United Rugby Championship (URC) matches but coach John Plumtree has made it clear that their aim is to win games rather than prizes for good fellowship. He has a point because the Sharks have risen from a 14th place finish last year to third this season and have earned the luxury of a home quarter-final against Munster on Saturday. The Sharks are the only side in the top eight of the URC to have conceded more tries than they scored, yet they have shown enormous grit to grind out wins. Plumtree was asked if the quarter-finals are the time for his team to pull the trigger on their attacking game and win in style. 'We are not out here to entertain anyone,' Plumtree said. 'We are here to progress as a team and win matches. If that means win ugly, so be it.' In the Sharks' last game, they beat the Scarlets 12-3, with no tries scored, but Plumtree is unconcerned about outside pressure to up the try tally. 'There is enough pressure on the team without going into the change rooms and demanding more tries,' he said. 'We will get the job done, however that looks. 'We have set the team some goals around what we want to achieve. None of them are based on scoring 20 or 30 points, I can promise you that. We strive to win games of rugby, no matter how that gets done. We want our set piece to dominate and defence to function.' There has been zero problem with these aspects — the Sharks have been magnificent on defence and their Springbok-laden pack has been immense in the set scrums. To be fair to the Sharks, in that dour struggle with the Scarlets, the heavy dew made handling difficult. It is a problem at this time of the year in Durban — hot days cool down quickly in the evening and thick dew is the result. 'When the ball is wet along with the pressure from the opposition, it's always going to compromise our skill sets,' he explained. 'But if we get the territory, possession and fast ball we want, we will nail some of those moments. 'A massive part of these contests is keeping the TMO away from making any big calls that affect both teams and the outcome.' The Sharks' attack could well ignite in this match because of the return at outside centre of the skilful Lukhanyo Am, while Jordan Hendrikse replaces the injured Siya Masuku at flyhalf. Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is back at No 8 after a week's vacation. 'It's good to get some guys back, including Siya,' Plumtree said. 'The intensity has been great in our sessions, which is what you would expect with a game like this.' The coach said that Springboks coming into and out of the team over the season because of national duty and resting protocols has been disruptive. 'It has been disjointed, but we haven't let that bother us. Our goal was to put pressure on Glasgow on the log, which meant a good tour and finishing strong at home, and we did that. 'The Scarlets match wasn't the prettiest rugby to watch, but we achieved that goal. We are right where we need to be and are looking forward to the rest of the season.' Plumtree is acquainted with some of the Munster veterans from his time as an assistant coach of Ireland. The Irish side is saying farewell to three of their legends in flank Peter O'Mahony, scrumhalf Conor Evans and prop Steven Archer. 'Munster have a huge fighting spirit and are a very close team. The three guys finishing up have around 600 caps between them,' he said. 'We know what to expect from them but our focus is on playing at home, and progressing in the competition. It's going to come down to who wants it the most and who takes their opportunities on the day.' Sharks team 15 Aphelele Fassi 14 Ethan Hooker 13 Lukhanyo Am 12 Andre Esterhuizen 11 Makazole Mapimpi 10 Jordan Hendrikse 9 Jaden Hendrikse 8 Siya Kolisi 7 Vincent Tshituka 6 James Venter 5 Jason Jenkins, 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain) 3 Vincent Koch 2 Bongi Mbonambi 1 Ox Nche. Bench: 16 Fez Mbatha 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu 18 Hanro Jacobs 19 Emile van Heerden 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Bradley Davids 22 Francois Venter 23 Yaw Penxe.
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Lions look for comeuppance against 'bogey' team Ospreys
Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been included in the Springboks' second alignment camp later this month. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix When the Lions look back at their 2024/25 season, they will note with exasperation a number of matches that torpedoed their United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign. Flying high at the start of the tournament with victories over Ulster, Edinburgh, Dragons and Zebre, there was a sense that something special was brewing at the Joburg-based outfit. Losses were expected, everyone agreed, but they would be quickly forgotten – the team now having enough experience and wherewithal to bounce back and mount a successful push for the Top 8. That charisma was certainly on display when they dispatched a Springbok-laden Sharks team at the beginning of March this year, winning 38–14; the match was proof positive of what this Lions team is capable of. It's unfortunate the URC saw so little of that version of the Lions. On the other side of the coin, damaging losses to Munster (17–10), the Bulls twice (35–22 and 31–19), Cardiff (20–17), Benetton (42–31) and Scarlets (32–19) will no doubt haunt the team when they reflect on their URC campaign. One could also include a December defeat to the Ospreys in the opening round of the EPCR Challenge Cup. The Lions were flat-footed and disjointed in that clash, with signs that their bubble had already burst after away defeats to Leinster and Munster on the preceding weekends. The latter was particularly disappointing – the Red Army were battling coaching upheaval and injuries, and were there for the taking, but the Lions failed to capitalise. They fielded a second-string side a week later against the Ospreys and, while they started with confidence, they were nonetheless outplayed 30–14. Although squad rotation was necessary and forgivable, the performance did little to instil confidence in the fringe players. Truth be told, the Welsh outfit have been something of a nemesis for the Lions in recent seasons. They were denied a Top 8 finish last season after the Ospreys narrowly beat Cardiff in the final round to snatch eighth place away from them. Both teams ended the regular season on 50 points, but the Ospreys had one more win. Moreover, the Lions have not beaten the Ospreys in their last three encounters, including a 38–28 loss at Ellis Park two seasons ago. Although the upcoming fixture is a low-stakes encounter, the Lions will be desperate to defeat the visitors for a measure of comeuppance, while also ending the season on a positive note as they look to the upcoming Currie Cup for redemption. 'The Ospreys have been like a bogey team for us,' Lions assistant coach Julian Redelinghuys admitted earlier this week. 'It will be a little bit of a consolation to do well this weekend. 'They are a good team,' he added. 'If you watched the game against the Sharks this past weekend – even though the scoreline doesn't reflect it – they are really tough at the breakdown. 'They are a physical team and they have a good kicking game. That's where we felt we fell short against them previously. We have those past experiences and will look to correct them this weekend.' The Lions will be further buoyed – and relieved – ahead of their final URC clash by the inclusion of several players in Rassie Erasmus' second Springbok alignment camp later this month. That list includes Renzo du Plessis, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Quan Horn, Morne van den Berg and Edwill van der Merwe. Kick-off for the match against the Ospreys on Saturday is 5.15pm.
The Citizen
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Sacha-powered Stormers race up the URC log – where will they finish?
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has led the Stormers' charge from 12th to sixth place since March, scoring 50 points in just two games. Stormers flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored 24 points against Connacht and 26 points against Benetton in the team's last matches. Picture: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images A blistering resurgence by the Stormers, led by Springbok utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's incredible form, has paved the way to four wins in their last five matches. The Cape Town-based side leapt up the United Rugby Championship (URC) table from 12th place to sixth since March. They now have 45 points, four more than eighth-placed Benetton, who the Stormers smashed 56–5 last weekend. This gives them an excellent chance of remaining in the top eight and qualifying for the playoffs, with their last two regular season matches both being played at home. Sacha storms back into URC Their results have been fuelled by the return of Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who made a comeback from a shoulder injury against Scarlets on 15 March. He followed up that game with 24- and 26-point individual hauls against Connacht and Benetton in the following games. Between these two matches, the 23-year-old scored four tries, nine conversions, three penalties and a drop-goal to rack up 50 points. The Stormers' results in their last five games – which also included three winning bonus points and one losing bonus point – have suddenly made them a force to be reckoned with. Come their last two regular season matches at home against Dragons and Cardiff (on 10 and 16 May, respectively), they are poised to not only overtake Cardiff should they beat the fifth-placed Welsh side, but perhaps even cause a frown to furrow on the brow of Sharks head coach John Plumtree. ALSO READ: Manie Libbok to 'leave' Stormers to play in Japan — report Small chance of Stormers catching Sharks in fourth The fourth-placed Sharks are a comfortable eight points ahead of the Stormers though, and would have to lose their own final home matches against Ospreys and Scarlets to surrender their position to either Cardiff or Stormers. But with the form the Stormers are in, they would be tipped to beat Dragons and Cardiff in Cape Town and at least finish fifth on the table. That would present an exciting quarter-final against the Sharks in Durban, should they remain fourth. Few teams would wish to play against the Stormers in the form they are in, and it would hurt the pride of the Springbok-laden Sharks to lose in a home quarter-final against a team that were 12th on the log just a month ago.
IOL News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
'Fremdscham' in Johannesburg: The Lions' season unravels in slow motion
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has watched his team achieve some truly remarkable results one week, only to follow it up with a mediocre performance the next. Photo: Backpagepix Every so often, you get to watch a disaster unfold in slow motion right in front of you. Inevitably, you think to yourself, there must be a German word or phrase to encapsulate the experience. Like Treppenwitz – that moment when you think of the perfect comeback just a little too late – or Backpfeifengesicht, which describes the urge you feel to look down on someone with a punchable face. Perhaps the German word that best describes the Lions over the past two months, however, is Fremdscham – which literally translates to 'strangely ashamed' and in English aligns most closely with second-hand embarrassment. Now, it is well established in newsprint that I am a massive Lions fan, so we won't rehash those details. Needless to say, though, the last few weeks have been tough. It's been a period of wild oscillations in form and performance – a run that has seen the Lions' season crumble into mediocrity. Why, it was only at the beginning of March when we all marvelled at the viciousness of the Johannesburg-based team, as they eviscerated a Springbok-laden Sharks XV in a first-half blitz at Ellis Park. That outing had many turning towards the non-believers with a smug smile, a raised eyebrow, and a chuffed expression. Since then, it has all gone horribly pear-shaped – to the dogs, grim-dark, and rack and ruin – and just about any other idiom you can think of to describe the debacle that has unfolded since. Five disastrous losses in a row have seen the Lions' season collapse, and there has been plenty of embarrassment to go with it – of both the prime and second-hand variety. Defeats to the Sharks, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Benetton – the latter the most egregious – have left a palpable sense of frustration. Fremdscham, I mutter, resigned to yet another season of having to defend the team from the self-satisfaction that oozes out of my fellow Bulls, Sharks and Stormers supporters. Three games remain in the season for the Lions, but the reality is that they are out of the EPCR Challenge Cup after a limp attempt and will not make the play-offs of the United Rugby Championship either. It'll be the fourth miss in a row. A top 4 finish was promised this season, which will not be achieved. A top 8 finish was expected, and that will (probably) not be achieved either. At the beginning of that particular journey – in 2021 – we were told to be patient, to understand that the players were young and inexperienced, and that it would take time to build a squad. Now, four seasons later, the squad still commits the same mistakes, similar errors, and self-sabotages. I'll agree that there have been disruptions – the continued loss of top-quality players hasn't helped the cause. Neither has a coaching-room shake-up a few seasons ago, which initially promised so much. At the end of this season, once again, there will be departures of major names – foremost among them, Springbok Edwill van der Merwe. It immediately puts the Lions on the back foot for the season ahead. It would be unfair to lay the blame solely at the feet of head coach Ivan van Rooyen and his coaching staff, which includes Ricardo Loubscher, Jaque Fourie, Barend Pieterse and Julian Redelinghuys. The players must also accept substantial responsibility for the team's failures. In recent weeks, their performances have veered between the lacklustre and the desperate – perhaps indicative of larger structural issues at the union. In that regard, the corporate management must also shoulder responsibility, even though they have done a stellar job post-Covid of keeping the union financially stable where others have not. For a fan, unfortunately, that is not enough. Silverware is the only currency, and in that regard, the Lions are firmly in the red. I like Van Rooyen. I think he is a stand-up, forthright coach, who has a good rapport with his players. I have only ever had positive interactions with him. However, despite all of that, the buck stops with him – and perhaps it is time for the Lions to reconsider their coaching structures again. Perhaps it is time to explore new options and find someone who can build on the platform he has laid. Perhaps that is the crucial next step forward.
