Sharks boss John Plumtree lists reasons for 'tough' season

The Sharks signed off on their United Rugby Championship campaign when they went down 25-13 at the hands of the Bulls in the semifinals on Saturday. The Durban franchise had ample chances to take control of the contest, as the Bulls were even down to 12 players at one point. But inaccurate kicking off the tee and a disjointed attack handed the advantage back to the hosts, much to the delight of the Loftus faithful.

Last season saw the Sharks win the Challenge Cup and the Currie Cup, despite an abysmal URC campaign. This year, finishing third on the table represented a marked improvement from 14th. But many expected the Springbok-laden Sharks to go even further and be competitive in the Champions Cup, where they failed to get out of their póol.

Reflecting on the past several months, Plumtree told the press that he has been feeling the pressure.  

"It was a tough season, and learning a lot in my second season in the URC," said the Kiwi.

"Coaching the Sharks is not for the faint-hearted; it keeps me awake at night. There were really tough periods of the season, especially after the November internationals when we had tired Boks coming back.

"How we can compete in the tournament with players who have just played 14 internationals is a challenge.

"And then after Christmas, they go through their Springbok resting, and it's about navigating that period with the rest of the team.

"We also had 18, 19 injuries at one stage, which was a crisis. When you do finally get everyone back in, it's about where you're sitting on the log and how you can progress in two tournaments.

"The key for us is to make sure we have the depth in our squad to do well without the Springboks."