Africa-Press – South-Africa. It’s tempting to view the Sharks as South Africa’s future answer to all-conquering Leinster, given their financial backing and legion of internationals, but legendary Springbok flanker and now astute observer Schalk Burger has warned it’s going to take time for them to come even close to emulating their Irish counterparts.
In fact, the economic constraints on local franchises in terms of SA Rugby’s salary cap regulations, as well as a hugely unfavourable exchange rate, provide enough doubts over whether such a comparison is realistically attainable.
The Sharks’ immediate priority, though, is salvaging a URC campaign that is now teetering on the brink of them potentially missing out on the play-offs, as well as a spot in next season’s Champions Cup.
Much of that is down to the Jekyll & Hyde nature of the team’s performances this season, where one week’s sublimity with the Boks in harness is followed by an ineffectual, flat showing by the depth players the next.
And a lack of a clear playing brand isn’t helping.
Added to this, Bok captain Siya Kolisi will leave Durban for Racing 92 and Thomas du Toit, a Shark Tank mainstay who began his tight head apprenticeship under former Springbok Tendai Mtawarira, for Bath after the World Cup.
“I guess the Sharks are a bit frustrating to watch because they have so many good players,” Burger told a media roundtable event on Tuesday.
“The only way out when you watch them play is when they have their big-name Springboks present. They play with a national squad pack and it becomes a set-piece and kick battle, where they put you under pressure.
“That’s probably, currently, just a culture thing.”
It’s also, evidently, a strategy increasingly appearing to be a stop-gap in the absence of a full-time head coach.
“When you take over any side, it’s easier to make them brave and cultivate a good defence and get a decent kicking game into place than creating a playing style where attack outworks the defence,” said Burger.
“That’s what makes Leinster so special – how quick they set up their attack and how cleverly they utilise it. That said, it’s one of the most difficult things to get right in rugby and that’s where it comes down to work rate, team culture and the conditioning of your players. You can’t just turn up and say the Sharks need to play like Leinster.”
However, the quicker the appointment of a full-time head coach can be ratified, the better.
“To me, the Sharks still need to find out the way they really play. What is the identity of the Sharks? The current squad seems really happy off the field and there’s definitely signs of nice overall culture growing there, but on the field it’s quite tricky to pinpoint the way they’re trying to play,” said Burger.
“It’s not going to happen overnight. The coaching staff has been reshuffled quite significantly over the past two years. Neil Powell has had to step up from director of rugby to fill in as head coach and for him it’s a big transition coming from sevens.
“He might be brilliant for developing an overall framework for the franchise and bringing the youth through, but coming into the 15-man game, it becomes so technical and the smaller intricacies come to the fore.
“In the Sharks’ case, it’s the finer details that will make your side tick, not the bigger picture.”
It’s little wonder then that the franchise has reportedly turned to an old favourite in John Plumtree, who won two Currie Cup titles and reached a Super Rugby final during a successful tenure between 2008 and 2013.
He would also return to Kings Park with the added experience of being an All Blacks assistant coach.
“There are rumours that Plum is coming back and we even saw him in the stands the other day. He understands what Sharks rugby is about and they enjoyed a lot of success previously under him. He could be a tonic, but the rugby community is going to have to be patient because it’s going to be a while,” said Burger.
“The other problem is that our player turnover in South Africa is high. The issue becomes how you build a future if there’s no long-term commitment from your senior players. It will have to change sooner than later.”
The Sharks’ URC run-in commences against Benetton at home on Friday.
Kick-off is at 18:30.
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