Hollywoodbets Sharks head coach John Plumtree says his side have stuck to the basics during the build-up to Friday’s mammoth EPCR Challenge Cup final against Gloucester at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Durbanites are one game away from not only securing a much sought-after European title but qualifying for next season’s Champions Cup in a campaign that also sees them sit as low as 13th on the URC standings with just one round remaining.
Ahead of a potentially watershed game for the men in black and white, coach Plumtree shared where the team’s mindset was at and how the side has been preparing for the encounter.
“We wanted to have a lot of the [game] plan in place before we arrived in London. We’ve tried to keep things pretty simple and [I’m] a big believer in not cluttering the players with too much information before big games.
“[We’ve been] identifying a few areas where we can put them under pressure and where they’ll probably put us under pressure, so that’s really been the focus.
“The plan’s in place and this part is exciting for the players coming here to a stadium like this, and now it’s time for them to get into their own space and make sure they bring the intensity that’s required.”
With as many as six 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks named in the starting XV, the veteran coach has heaped praise on his leadership group in spite of the absence of injured captain Lukhanyo Am.
“You can see some of the experienced guys, guys that have been this position many times before, starting to ‘shine’ now if you like. I’m a big believer in leaders taking over the backend of the week, so my voice goes quieter and theirs grows louder.
“That’s what we want. We want to encourage our leaders to take over at this take of the week and really drive the passion that we’re going to need to win this final.
“At the end of the day you can have the tactical side of your game all sorted out, but it’ll come down to how hard you hit a ruck, how hard you tackle, how hard you carry the ball and how long you can go for.
“I’m expecting a pretty physical contest, and mentally we’ll have to be in the right space.”
When all’s said and done, Plumtree believes his squad will produce a performance befitting of their talents come kick-off time.
“For us as a Sharks rugby team it’s a Test match for us. We’ve got some players in there that wear the Springbok jersey, yes, but there are some players that don’t. And it’s going to be pretty exciting for everyone.
“For a Springbok to wear your club jersey and to do well in a club competition, it means a lot, and I’m expecting the big players that I have in this group to have massive games.”
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