No team will admit that a match is unwinnable, but for the Sharks, last night’s Champions Cup away clash against the Leicester Tigers was written off as soon as half of their top players were taken out by the Exeter Chiefs the week before in Durban.
Leicester won 56-17 at Welford Road, and a result of that magnitude was always a possibility once it was known that Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Vincent Tshituka, Gerbrandt Grobler, James Venter, Lukhanyo Am, Grant Williams and Makazole Mapimpi were non-travellers.
Those guys could beat most countries in a World Cup playoff or two, but their removal from this fixture meant a Leicester currently placed third in the English Premiership, and playing at their fortress of Welford Road, was always going to win comfortably.
The Sharks second-stringers battled gainfully, and as Plumtree had challenged them, some put their hands up and some did not.
The Sharks are an unashamedly ambitious franchise, and under their American owners, they want to win the Champions Cup.
So, if this fixture had to be written off, so be it because the Sharks’ big target is the January 11 game in Durban against Antoine Dupont’s Toulouse and half of the French team that lost the World Cup quarter-final against half of the Springbok team that currently make up the Sharks.
If that game does not raise 40 000 spectators at Kings Park, it will be a surprise.
In terms of the game at Welford Road last night, the Sharks played with the courage and intent that Plumtree demanded of them, even if they were out-gunned.
And those who understand the game knew this was a case of the Sharks doing their best while knowing this was about living to fight another day.
"A South African against a South African team." 👀
Handre Pollard dives in for a try as Leicester Tigers get their fifth in the first half against the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
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Three minutes into the game, there was a teaser from Siya Masuku when from 45 metres out, he struck a penalty through the uprights.
But with so many Boks left in Durban injured after the bruising Exeter game, the Sharks pack were emasculated, and it was with relative ease that Argentine hooker Julian Montoya was propelled over for a try off the back of a maul 10 minutes into the game.
John Plumtree had told the back-up players that they had an opportunity to state their case, and when Emmanuel Tshituka smashed over off the back of a lineout, he had put his hand up.
Unfortunately for the Sharks, Montoya replied immediately with his second maul try, and when wing Ollie Hassell-Collins scored from a Handré Pollard cross-kick, the Sharks were goners.
Centre Solomone Kata scored soon after, and so did Pollard and England scrumhalf Josh van Poortvliet, and after that, nobody really cared.
Points-Scorers
Leicester Tigers 56 – Tries: Julian Montoya (2), Ollie Hassell-Collins, Solomone Kata, Handré Pollard, Jack van Poortvliet, Charlie Clare, Emeka Ilione. Conversions: Pollard (6), Jamie Shillcock (2).
Sharks 17 – Tries: Emmanuel Tshituka, Ethan Hooker. Conversions: Siya Masuku (2). Penalty: Masuku (1).
* Meanwhile, the weather did its best to steal the Lions’ thunder by twice halting the Challenge Cup match against Pau on Saturday night, but the home team had enough firepower to see off the Frenchmen 43-35.
Ahead of their match against the Ospreys the previous week, the Lions had approached this home match as a must-win game by sending home 12 first-choice players.
But by halftime, it had not gone to plan.
The Lions were lucky to be leading 19-16 after missing a number of shots at goal, and when young Pau flyhalf Axel Desperes scored from a blindside move off a scrum and converted, the Lions were behind at 19-23.
The Lions hit back 10 minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty try for a deliberate pull-down of maul to give them the lead.
Springboks Edwill van der Merwe and Morné van den Berg scored before hooker PJ Botha and former Sharks prop Juan Schoeman went over.
Flyhalf Kade Wolhuter, making a welcome return from injury, added 11 points from the tee.
For Pau, Desperes scored 20 points to add to tries from former Sharks hooker Dan Jooste, replacement hooker Romain Ruffenach and replacement prop Josselin Bouhier.
Give Edwill van der Merwe a one-on-one at your own risk ⚠️
Another impressive try to add his collection 👏
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Points-Scorers
Lions 43 – Tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Morné van den Berg, PJ Botha, Penalty Try, Juan Schoeman, Ruben Schoeman. Conversions: Kade Wolhuter (4). Penalty: Wolhuter (1).
Pau 35 – Tries: Dan Jooste, Axel Desperes, Romain Ruffenach, Josselin Bouhier. Conversions: Desperes (3). Penalties: Desperes (3).