Plumtree under pressure as winless Sharks search for answers

This season’s Sharks are looking alarmingly like the same side that stumbled through parts of last season until a late recovery in the United Rugby Championship (URC) took them to the semi-finals – disjointed, error-prone and unable to turn potential into points.

After four URC matches without a win, many among the Kings Park faithful may be asking whether John Plumtree is still the right man for the job. Plumtree’s squad is stacked with Springbok pedigree and World Cup winners and should be challenging for the title, not sitting near the bottom of the table.

What makes the current situation harder to excuse is that Plumtree has faced this problem before.

Last season, he admitted to the difficulty of integrating returning Springboks after the international window, disrupting combinations and squad balance. A year later, the same problem persists.

So, why hasn’t it been solved?

Even with the likes of Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nché, Bongi Mbonambi, Ethen Hooker and Makazole Mapimpi – there were 13 Boks in Saturday’s starting line-up against Ulster – the Sharks still lack cohesion and a clear identity.

Their attack is predictable, their defence inconsistent, and their powerful set piece no guarantee of victory. That may be more of an indicator of a lack of coherent coaching strategy than of player quality. Surely, the host of Bok stars at Plumtree’s disposal don’t go from world beaters to palookas in a matter of weeks?

The mark of a well-drilled side is not how it looks on paper, but how it functions under pressure – and Plumtree looks like a coach waiting for his stars to click, while the players look like they are waiting for a system that works.

They are caught between flair and physicality, without the balance to win either way.

If the Sharks were rebuilding from scratch, fans might be more patient with the project. But this is a squad full of Galácticos – to borrow from football parlance – backed by serious investment. That’s why the lack of progress is becoming increasingly difficult to justify.

Saturday’s home clash against the Scarlets now feels like more than just another fixture, coming just before the November international break. Lose again, and the pressure will intensify not only on Plumtree but on the Sharks’ entire project.

To his credit, Plumtree doesn’t avoid accountability. He’s loyal to his players and honest about their shortcomings, yet one can’t help but wonder whether he still has the tools – or the time – to fix them.

The big Kiwi’s influence on the Sharks’ culture is undeniable, but professional rugby is a results business. When a coach has the players, the resources and the backing yet still can’t find the consistency to win matches, scrutiny is inevitable.

Just ask Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen, who was also under the pump after a similarly horrendous start to the season before the weekend’s win over the Scarlets bought him some time away from the media glare – if only temporarily.

If the Sharks finally click this weekend, Plumtree will also earn some breathing room. If not, the calls for change will only grow louder.