VIDEO: Plumtree says Super Rugby lost its spice Down Under since SA's departure
SPOTLIGHT: Incoming Sharks head coach John Plumtree says rugby has taken a huge hit Down Under since South Africa and Super Rugby parted ways.
It was in 2020 when South Africa’s top franchises last featured in the Southern Hemisphere tournament.
That tournament was eventually cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic and after numerous discussions behind the scenes, South Africa eventually found themselves heading north.
In 2021, the Lions, Stormers, Bulls and Sharks entered the United Rugby Championship and the rest was history.
Australia and New Zealand eventually went on to form Super Rugby Pacific and Plumtree believes the game is suffering in those two countries.
“It will be interesting to see how the Boks go in that game [against the All Blacks in Auckland in July] without having played New Zealand for a while at Super level,” Plumtree told reporters via a video conference from New Zealand.
“From New Zealand and Australia’s side, they have absolutely missed the Springboks.
“The competition down here has lost a bit of spice without the South African sides and their Boks. I guess it is not quite the same flavour.”
(Article continues below the Plumtree interview ...)
Lack of quality
Plumtree, who had a stint with the Hurricanes before joining the All Blacks coach team, believes the Australian sides have failed to bring the goods in Super Rugby.
“The physicality is down. We are still getting the odd good derby game here [in New Zealand] I guess, but unfortunately, the Australian teams, apart from the Brumbies, haven’t lived up to any real competition for the top sides here in New Zealand.
“I am not sure what it is like the other way.
“Right now, the competition is really tough up there, particularly in Europe against the French, English and Irish sides. The Scottish sides are pretty tough right now as well.
“It seems to be the tougher competition – the URC and Europe.
“What impact that has on Test match rugby, I’m not sure, but I will say the South African sides and the Bok players are missed down here.”
*The Sharks’ United Rugby Championship campaign came to an end as they went down 5-35 to Leinster in the quarterfinal clash in Dublin on Saturday.
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