Plumtree Disappointed At Losing Mchunu To Stormers
Hollywoodbets Sharks coach John Plumtree has expressed his disappointment at the departure of prop Ntuthuko Mchunu at the end of the season.
The Sharks recently confirmed that Mchunu will be joining the Stormers in Cape Town.
The 25-year-old has found limited playing time in the Springbok-laden Sharks squad due to fierce competition in the front row, with Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, and the injured Trevor Nyakane, who can play on both sides of the scrum, vying for positions.
In the Sharks’ 25-22 victory over the Emirates Lions at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday, Plumtree opted for Nche and Koch alongside hooker Bongi Mbonambi, leaving Mchunu to come off the bench in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC).
“I’m not happy about losing him, but it’s hard to keep everyone,” Plumtree told Sportswire. “Other provinces are pursuing our players, and unfortunately, we couldn’t retain him. He has a better opportunity at the Stormers, and that’s just the nature of the business.”
When asked if the Sharks could have done more to convince Mchunu to stay, Plumtree replied, “It’s easy to say, ‘We should just pay him more.’ But we have budget constraints. It’s difficult to keep everyone. We’ll miss Mchunu, but we wish him well.”
The Sharks’ victory over the Lions allowed them to surpass the DHL Stormers on the SA Shield log, winning the trophy awarded to the top South African conference team by a single point.
The full points haul also solidified the Sharks’ position in the top four of the overall URC log, as they move beyond the derby phase and prepare for the arrival of Zebre and Leinster in the coming weeks.
Plumtree, who faced challenges in last season’s competition with the Sharks, celebrated the SA Shield victory as an addition to their EPCR Challenge Cup and Currie Cup triumphs.
When asked if the Sharks are heading in the right direction, the New Zealander, in his second stint as Sharks coach, said, “I think Marco Masotti [whose company, MVM Holdings consortium, has a controlling interest (51%) in the Sharks franchise] must be proud. He’ll be enjoying a beautiful red wine somewhere in New York, I’d imagine.”
On a more serious note, Plumtree added, “He’s put a lot of work and time into this franchise and loves South African people. It shows his dedication, because it hasn’t been easy. We’ve had many injuries this year, and it’s been a struggle. We’re not there yet, but hopefully in the next year or two, we’ll have the right group.”
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who had been given a rest period, scored two tries for the Sharks, adding to his try from the previous week’s loss to the Lions.
Kolisi has now scored seven tries this season, a notable achievement for a player now operating at number 8 for his franchise.
“Siya hadn’t played for a while,” Plumtree said. “He came back and did a great job this week, leading the team. It was great for him to get a couple of tries. The first one was top quality, and the second one from the midfield ruck showed his experience. He did very well.”
