VIDEO: Plumtree reveals the challenge of having so many Boks
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree says it will be a challenge to integrate more Springboks into his squad over the next couple of weeks.
The team from Durban will end their three-match United Rugby Championship tour against Benetton in Italy on Saturday.
They will then head back home for tough matches against defending champions Glasgow Warriors (October 19) and Irish giants Munster (October 26).
The Springboks will face Scotland (November 10), England (November 16), and Wales (November 23) on their end-of-year tour and Plumtree believes Rassie Erasmus’ stars will need game time before their journey north.
Players like Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche and several others played their last match in the Rugby Championship decider against Argentina in Nelspruit on September 28.
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“I think they need to play before they go on tour,” Plumtree told reporters ahead of the Benetton clash.
“They’ve had a couple of weeks off now, so they need to play.
“But that is not the most important part for me. The most important part is that they want to play.
“I will touch base with them all individually over the next couple of days to find out where they are at mentally and physically.”
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Plumtree revealed that one of those big names has already put his hand up for selection.
“I’ve already had a chat with Eben and he is dying to get back into it and he assured me that he is ready to go back to work.
“We are pretty confident that those boys will be wanting to get back out there in the Sharks jersey, but the challenge is how are we going to integrate them because there are quite a few.
“There are a lot of decisions to make but I’m only going to do it after this [Benetton] game.
“Some of it [decision] could be forced around injuries here [in Italy] and how tired some of these boys are getting.”
@rugby365com
