Sharks coach Plumtree wants to delay family reunion until Scarlets beaten and URC points banked

Sharks coach John Plumtree was only half-joking when he said didn’t need to do any analysis of the Scarlets team because he has been watching his son closely this season, just as any father would do.

Taine Plumtree will be on the flank for the Scarlets tonight (7.30pm kick-off) in a final-round United Rugby Championship match that could have a third place log finish riding on it for the Sharks.

If they beat the Scarlets and later tonight Leinster beat the Warriors, the Sharks will finish third.

“Obviously with Taine playing for them, I watch the Scarlets a lot, and I have been doing that for a long time now, so I am very familiar with their game,” Plumtree said yesterday.

“I have watched them closely, and they are one team in the URC that I would say has improved in every area of their game.

“They have got better as the season has gone on, and I am not surprised that they are sixth on the log.

“They have had a lot of consistency around their selection,” Plumtree continued.

“They maybe don’t have quite the same depth as some other teams, but they’ve been very good this season around injuries.

“They have a lot of X-factor, and they are playing with confidence.

“Their set-piece is functioning really well too, and they have beaten the Lions and the Ospreys, as well as Leinster, which was a team we couldn’t beat.

“So they are a genuine threat.”

Plumtree said this game doubles as a family reunion because his wife, Lara, is visiting from New Zealand, and will be seeing Taine for the first time in eight months.

“It was really weird when I coached against Taine for the first time when we played them last year and the media over in Wales made a big thing of it, but we got through that, so there hasn’t been the same level of strangeness this time,” he said.

“Obviously we haven’t focused much on Taine in team meetings... the players seem to be quite respectful about that.

“I’d like Taine to get through the match safely and for him to do well on a personal level, but this is obviously one game I don’t want his team to win.”

Taine was born in Swansea when his father was coaching there, but spent much of his schooling in Durban when his father was in his first tenure as Sharks coach.

“Taine was one of those hundreds of kids that run around the outer fields at Kings Park. He grew up supporting the Sharks, so this is a very special game for him,” said Plumtree.

Plumtree said his team has had ambitions of finishing third for some time.

“One part of this game is that we want to get our performance right ahead of the quarter-final, but another part is that we wanted to keep putting pressure on Glasgow for third spot,” the former loose forward said.

“We do want that third spot, so it is important to us that we get the win. We want to get that job done this week and finish third.”

Springbok enforcer Eben Etzebeth has shaken off a thigh “lamey” and will take his place in a welcome boost for the Sharks.

There had been a worry that he would sit out this game, but as Plumtree said, “Eben is a fast healer”.

The news is not as good for Etzebeth’s Bok teammate, Siya Kolisi, who is sitting this one out with a minor injury.

In another change to the forwards, Plumtree is giving Zimbabwean Tino Mavesere a chance at openside flank. He takes over from James Venter.

Also in the forwards, Ox Nche returns at loosehead prop after missing last week’s game, taking over from Dian Bleuler.

Young lock Emile van Heerden is also making his return to the second row, with Jason Jenkins shifting to the bench in place of Emmanuel Tshituka (concussion).

The backline that played well last week against the Ospreys is unchanged for the Scarlets.

Sharks Team

15 Aphelele Fassi 14 Ethan Hooker 13 Jurenzo Julius 12 André Esterhuizen 11 Makazole Mapimpi 10 Siya Masuku 9 Jaden Hendrikse 8 Phepsi Buthelezi 7 Vincent Tshituka 6 Tino Mavesere 5 Emile van Heerden 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain) 3 Vincent Koch 2 Bongi Mbonambi 1 Ox Nche.

Bench: 16 Fez Mbatha 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu 18 Hanro Jacobs 19 Jason Jenkins 20 Nick Hatton 21 Bradley Davids 22 Francois Venter 23 Yaw Penxe.