Sharks coach John Plumtree has scoffed at suggestions that Springbok captain John Smit is no longer a viable option as a prop.
Speaking ahead of the pre-season Tri-Series finale, against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday, Plumtree said he will continue to “rotate” the Bok skipper in all three front row positions.
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Plumtree was questioned about Smit’s position in the Sharks front row, after the record-breaking Bok captain was repeatedly penalised after moving from hooker to loosehead prop in the 10-41 loss to the Lions earlier this week.
Smit, who won’t feature on Saturday as he is attending Bok teammate Butch James’ wedding, looked far more at ease while he was in the middle of the front row.
“He [Smit] was little bit of rusty at loosehead, but that was understandable,” Plumtree said, coming to the defence of his captain.
“Obviously hooking is more natural for him, because he has been doing it a lot more.”
Plumtree admitted Smit “didn’t get his feet positioning quite right” in a few scrums after moving to prop against the Lions.
He added that the Bok captain was “a bit hard done by” in one penalty, because Lions prop Pat Cilliers angled in so badly he didn’t have anywhere else to go but to the ground.
“John [Smit] is in really good nick, he is strong, he is fit and lasted that game really well,” Plumtree said, adding: “He is going to be able to play prop, no problem.”
Asked if he will continue to use Smith in all three front row positions, he said: “Yes, we’re lucky to have that – that is good.”
The Sharks mentor said he is convinced his team will put up a far more assured performance than the disappointing showing they produced in the loss to the Lions.
He also felt his team will be better for the experience of having had their first match of the year.
“We haven’t had much contact, but it will come.
“Most of these guys have been with another team [the Springboks] and they do things differently.
“It takes a while to get the game going.
“I am not worried about the scoreline. I just hope that when we get back to Durban we’ll be a step closer to where we want to go.
“Everyone thinks it is a big thing [the defeat], but I don’t, it doesn’t worry me.”
Plumtree felt there would be “a little bit of revenge” from the Stormers, after the Sharks had beaten the men from Cape Town in last year’s Currie Cup Final in Durban.
“We are not too worried about it,” he said.
“For us it is a good opportunity to look at some new locks in Anton Bresler and Gerhard Mostert.
“It is another opportunity for Meyer [Bosman] and Jacques-Louis Potgieter as well. We hope to get those combinations right.”