VIDEO: Plumtree's verdict - 'This is why I am here'

The Sharks learned another valuable lesson about playing as a team, despite having a bucketload of international players on the roster.

The Cheetahs were the tutors in Bloemfontein this past Sunday – coming from behind to record a 32-29 Challenge Cup Round Two win over a team that fielded 10 Springboks.

The men from Durban, already under pressure in the United Rugby Championship, will need to produce a dramatic improvement in form in their remaining European pool matches.

Frustrated Sharks coach John Plumtree – who has now overseen seven losses in nine competition starts – said he would not throw any individual players under the bus, but admitted they are still struggling to function as a unit.

“We didn’t help ourselves with our set piece not functioning,” the coach said about a line-out with a success rate of less than 80 percent and scrums below 90 percent.

Plumtree admitted he still has ‘some way to go’ before the team will function effectively as a unit.

(John Plumtree reviews the Springbok-laden Sharks team’s seventh loss of the season – against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein…)

“We are playing some good rugby at home, but we haven’t done it away from home,” he said of the fact that both their victories were at Kings Park in Durban.

“We just haven’t been clinical enough, mainly in our set pieces.

“Unless your set piece functions well, you are always under pressure.

“Our set piece didn’t function [in the 10-44 loss] against the Bulls and it didn’t function here [in the loss against the Cheetahs].

“That is a big part of our game we just haven’t got right yet.

“It is pretty tough,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “Trying to get everyone to improve.”

Veteran centre Francois Venter said the Sharks players are letting themselves down.

(Veteran centre Francois Venter explains to @king365ed why the Sharks can’t win on the road…)

“The guys are just not executing their roles,” he said, adding that they learnt some harsh lessons in the hammering at the hands of the Bulls in Pretoria.

Venter, 32, said their ‘effort levels’ just weren’t good enough and they need to overcome the ‘mental’ block they have about playing on the Highveld and the related fatigue issues that go with playing at altitude.

“We need to play as a unit,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “We have outstanding players, but we are letting the team down by not nailing our roles.

“At home, we nail it, but the players need to take responsibility and step up.”

@king365ed
@rugby365com