The Sharks seem to have left things very late but here is some news that might make our worries slightly easier to bare.

Smit captains Sharks and Plumtree staying THERE was plenty of news from the Shark Tank yesterday with coach John Plumtree announcing that John Smit will captain the team in the Super 14 and that the franchise is in contractual negotiations with Perpignan flyhalf Steve Meyer.

In addition, Plumtree dismissed reports from New Zealand at the weekend, which listed the Sharks mentor as one of the applicants to take over from Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper in 2011.

The news that must take precedence, though, is the confirmation that Smit will reassume the captaincy duties for the Super 14, after stints with Johann Muller and Stefan Terblanche at the helm last year.

Handing the leadership role back to the successful Springbok captain certainly seems to be the logical choice, with Smit having reaffirmed his status as one of the most respected and effective leaders in the world game during 2009.

Smit also led the Sharks to within touching distance of the 2007 Super 14 trophy, and will undoubtedly be desperate to take the team all the way this year.

Plumtree said he had no doubt that Smit was the right man for the job during the fast-approaching Southern Hemisphere showpiece.

“It was an easy decision in some ways, but it also wasn’t an easy decision in other ways because of my association with Stefan and Johann who have done a lot for the team and me when they were captain. But I also have a great working relationship with John, he’s our most experienced leader and I felt it was better for the team for him to be captain. John also has a great relationship with the other two guys and they all support each other.”

Having now gone public with that one tricky decision, Plumtree also confirmed that there were some developments to report regarding their attempts to find another flyhalf after Argentinian Juan Hernandez was ruled out of the Super 14 with injury.
The Sharks coach said they had entered into negotiations with 25-year-old Meyer,

who briefly played for the coastal franchise in 2006 after working his way up through the local ranks after completing his studies at Kearsney College.

Since then, Meyer has established himself at successful French Top 14 side Perpignan, and Plumtree said they hoped to negotiate a long-term return for the former Durbanite.

However, despite these positive bits of news, Plumtree’s demeanour darkened significantly when discussing the recent report out of New Zealand, which suggested that he was one of five other coaches who had applied to take over from Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper in 2011.

Plumtree’s current contract with the Sharks runs until the end of this year, and he emphasised that he was not prematurely planning a return to New Zealand.

“I’m really angry with that inaccurate report, there’s absolutely nothing in it. I was sent an application but I haven’t applied for that job at all.

“The Sharks have been good to me, I love the players here and I’m totally committed to the province.”

Meanwhile, the full squad was back in training on the Absa Stadium outer fields yesterday, having returned from last week’s camp in the Midlands, and it certainly seems to be all business as they gear up for their two pre-season friendlies at the end of the month