Sharks coach John Plumtree appears to be ready to return home to New Zealand, after reports surfaced that he had applied to take over as Hurricanes coach next year.
The Sunday News reports that Plumtree is one of at least six candidates that have applied for the job – to be vacated by Colin Cooper when the tournament expands to a Super 15 ion 2011.
It will mean the current Sharks coach, Plumtree, could get the job he wanted before he left New Zealand to join the men from Durban. Plumtree will join candidates like Clermont coach Vern Cotter, former All Black hooker Mark Hammett, current Wellington Lions coach Jamie Joseph, Dave Rennie and Hawke’s Bay’s Peter Russell.
Applications for the Hurricanes position close on January 26. Plumtree coached Wellington in the NPC from 2001 to 2006, taking the team to the final three times.
Unable to get a Super 14 contract in New Zealand, he headed to South Africa to become Sharks assistant coach, alongside Dick Muir (current Lions coach) and then head coach of the Sharks when Muir moved on to become Springbok backline coach.
Plumtree took the Sharks to Currie Cup success in 2008 and is regarded as one of the top coaches in South Africa. If he was successful at getting the Hurricanes job, his long-time assistant Chris Boyd, currently on Plumtree’s back-up staff in Durban, will return to Wellington with him.
Until recently it had been perceived that the job was as good as Rennie’s, but according to the Sunday News the quality of the candidates has far exceeded expectations. The NZRU targeted a number of high-profile Kiwis coaching abroad and sent them notification of the upcoming vacancy.
Plumtree and Cotter have indicated their interest – while another potential candidate, former Blues assistant Joe Schmidt, who is now assistant coach to Cotter at Clermont, will take over as Leinster’s head coach next season. Cotter – who won the Ranfurly Shield as coach of Bay of Plenty – has been at Clermont since 2006 and has taken them to the final of the Top 14 for the past three seasons, despite having a smaller budget than some of France’s other top-flight teams.
Former All Black Hammett has always been keen to make his mark as a coach in New Zealand. Despite being endorsed by Robbie Deans to take over from him at the Crusaders, Hammett was bypassed for Todd Blackadder. Despite the quality of the applicants from outside the franchise, Rennie and Joseph are very much still in the hunt.
No great loss. The Sharks have under performed with him at the helm.
True loosehead.
Lets get John Mitchell involved. The Sharks need a hard man at the helm that will not accept mediocrity..
The sharks need more than that.
You guys need a flyhalf for one, then a tighthead…then an inside centre et.
Agree with both Blouste and Churchill
Cape Town – The Sharks have dismissed rumours linking coach John Plumtree with the Hurricanes, while confirming that new acquisitions Willem Alberts and Louis Ludik will be considered for the pre-season tournament against the Stormers and Western Force.
It was reported from New Zealand over the weekend that Plumtree is a candidate to coach the Hurricanes from next year. However, Sharks chief executive Brian van Zyl on Monday effectively put an end to this speculation.
“I spoke to John about it and he has not had contact with anyone from New Zealand for months,” said Van Zyl.
“We have spoken to him about extending his contract. He will have time off in the Currie Cup and we’re going to assist him with up-skilling. We would not have agreed to something like that if we weren’t confident of him extending his contract.”
Van Zyl said that Plumtree had requested an extension of two years on his contract as Sharks coach. That will probably mean that his new deal runs until the end of 2013.
“I believe it will be a formality,” Van Zyl said of the extension.
When asked whether Plumtree’s time off later this year will mean that someone else coaches the Sharks in the Currie Cup, Van Zyl said that there was not certainty on the issue as yet.
“It hasn’t been finalised. John will never remove himself from the team completely and will still oversee matters,” said Van Zyl.
Is this post no 60 000?
Nope, loosehead got 60 000.
Typical Freestater, getting something significant once in 60 000 years, and they don’t even know it.
Yip, Loosehead was the blogger who broke through the 60 000 comments mark this morning….
60 000 comments, another remarkable milestone, considering how recently we started and considering that we are in the second month of the Rugby Off-season here in the Southern Hemisphere.
gbs @ 10
not fair!!
ek sien eks nog STEEDS ñ agtergeblewene
die witmense kry alweer allie honours!!
#11
blerrie hel man
as jy dit nog vir ñ normale witmens gegee het (as mens so iets kry),
sou ek nog orraait gewees het
maar nou ganie honours aan ñ ex-loskop (asof dit nie alreeds erg genoeg is nie) wat die vrystaat ondersteun, maar innie kaap bly!! 😆
12 hahahaha, jy soek mos nou vir moeilikgeid jong!!!!!
Read on the otherside that Plum is staying at the Sharks. Not sure how true it is but if that is the case will be pleased. Will make the Shark players more settled.
Also read that John Smit will captain the Sharks this year. Now that is brilliant news.
tripples @ 13
lol 😉
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