Rugby news from KwaZulu-Natal:
Lessons from a Draw:
Despite taking two valuable log points off the Dragons in their second round clash of a three week tour, Hollywoodbets Sharks head coach John Plumtree expressed frustration and disappointment in drawing, even though it was away from home.
The Vodacom United Rugby Championship is generally won off the back of an excellent home record – this is something the Hollywoodbets Sharks boasted in the 2024/25 season when they lost just one game at fortress Hollywoodbets Kings Park – and picking up victories on the road.
While not technically a loss, the Hollywoodbets Sharks coach felt his team could well have taken the spoils. But he did acknowledge the atrocious weather that certainly played a big role in decimating fluidity and continuity on attack.
“The horrible conditions – for both teams – meant it was always going to be a battle between the forward packs and the kicking game,” he said after the match.
“It was always going to be who took their opportunities, so I guess with a 17-all draw I am a bit disappointed with the result because we had scrum dominance and were able to relieve pressure as well as create pressure with our scrum.
“So not getting results was really disappointing, and conceding one or two soft tries was also disappointing for us.”
Taking the good with the bad, he admitted that there was plenty to feel positive about, and that was the never-say-die fight his charges showed, particularly when the game went into extra time with the Dragons hammering away at the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ line, search for a score – and score – that would deliver a first win for them, particularly at home.
As it was, they could not penetrate the defence and they failed to earn a penalty, with the visiting Durban side showing composure and discipline to the final whistle.
“But I’m really proud of the boys for the way they held on at the end, under immense pressure defensively,” Plumtree admitted.
“All in all, I’m proud of the effort from the boys and the fight we had, but we do feel a little bit let down that we didn’t finish the job.
“But we move on to the next one.”
The next one sees Leinster return home from South Africa after two demoralising losses, going scoreless when the DHL Stormers took a 35-nil victory in the opening round, and then losing to the Vodacom Bulls 39-31 and going back to Ireland without any log points, the current title-holders sitting in 15th position on the log with one point.
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