John Plumtree has been around the block enough times

John Plumtree has been around the block enough times to know that caution rather than elation is the watchword for the unbeaten Sharks as they approach a relatively easier fourth-round fixture in Melbourne on Friday.

“I try not to get excited about anything these days,” he said wryly. “In this game, the moment you pat yourself on the back you come a cropper. We’ve been in this position before, when we’ve been winning, only to hit a losing patch.”

The current leaders on the overall Super Rugby log (on points difference ahead of the Highlanders) are being written up all over the Southern Hemisphere, which is all the more reason for the players to ignore the press, reckons Plumtree.

“We know the media will talk us up and that’s fine, but we’re not going to read too much into that. We know we need to focus on improving and getting better,” he said. “Our focus last year during the Currie Cup was on improving week after week in what we were doing and this year is the same. My expectation of the players is that their attitudes are 100% for the Rebels.”

The Rebels came back down to earth last weekend when they go got thumped 38-10 by the Chiefs in Hamilton after having shocked the Brumbies in Melbourne the week before. This week they are back at home and should be much improved.

“Things didn’t go well for them at the Waikato Stadium, but the Chiefs are pretty tough when they’re in good form,” Plumtree said. “The Rebels were very good as a team when they beat the Brumbies the week before and have some really good backs in (Wallabies) Mark Gerrard, Stirling Mortlock, Julian Huxley, and (England international) Danny Cipriani.

“Up front, their loose forwards are going well. In a tall second row, they have the experience of Kevin O’Neill , who played lock for the Crusaders and Chiefs, and their scrum has been going okay.”

In other words, the Rebels have enough talent to beat teams that underestimate them.

“Our players have been told not to slacken up,” Plumtree said. “If we have the wrong attitude, they can hurt us. We want to make sure we improve on last week’s game against the Force. That’s the focus.”

by Mike Greenaway www.iol.co.za