'You're not going to see it for a while': Plumtree gets honest about progress

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree said it’s hard to find the positives despite his side recording their first win of the season on Saturday.

The Durbanites laboured to a 29-19 bonus-point win over the Scarlets at Kings Park that brought some cheer.

However, the Sharks’ overall performance was still littered with flaws that have plagued them this season.

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“I’m really pleased with the way the forwards are scrummaging. I’m happy with some of the forward play around our driving line-outs,” said Plumtree.

“I think we have improved a lot in that area. Warren Whiteley and Philip Lemmer are doing a good job in that space.

“It’s sort of hard to look for too many positives. I know how much better we can play.

“We just don’t look like a side that is really clicking yet.

“It’s been a little bit of a combination thing. We’ve had to use different No.10s this year, and we haven’t got Jordan [Hendrikse] back up to speed yet.

“Jordan, Siya [Masuku] and Jean Smith all played No.10 this year, so we haven’t really got going in that space.

“The backs probably haven’t clicked yet.

“When we get it all together, we will be good, but you are not going to see it for a while.”

The match was a see-saw affair with the Sharks allowing the visitors to stay in touch throughout the match.

“There were just moments in the game when we looked like we were going to open them up, and then there was either an offload that didn’t stick or a pass that wasn’t quite made.

We also struggled a little bit for fast ball.

“I thought the Scarlets were really good at slowing our ball down.

“We started well, but again we conceded soft tries, or we didn’t exit well. Or there was a drop ball or a kick-off not fielded, or something like that, so we are just not accurate enough.

“We seem to be putting ourselves under pressure through lack of execution.”

The URC takes a break for five weeks due to the upcoming Tests in November.

The Sharks will resume their campaign in Ireland with a match against Connacht in Galway on November 29.

@rugby365com