John Plumtree thanks Sharks fans living in UK for helping team reach Challenge Cup final

Sharks coach John Plumtree has applauded his union’s marketing team and at the same time thanked their fans for helping the Durban-based side win their Challenge Cup semi-final against Clermont on Saturday to qualify for the grand final later this month.

The Sharks beat the French side 32-31 in a thrilling last-four clash at London’s Twickenham Stoop Stadium on Saturday and will now face Gloucester of England, who beat Benetton in their semi-final, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 24.

The match between the Sharks and Clermont kicked off at 12.30pm on Saturday in London, but the stands were packed with fans, among them former Sharks player and Springbok World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi.

In the week leading up to the match, the Sharks’ marketing team spent a great deal of energy and time marketing the game to the South Africans living in London and the UK. There was plenty of activity on social media with one message saying “One week till we make the Stoop our stoep!”

The Sharks also used the hashtag #OurStoep in their engagements with their fans and the media.

Fightback

On Saturday, the Sharks fought back from being 31-18 down midway through the second half to edge their opponents. Flyhalf Siya Masuku was in fine form with the boot, while Vincent Koch and Makazole Mapimpi scored their team’s two tries.

Plumtree, who is now a win away from winning a major European club rugby trophy, thanked his union and the fans for getting behind the Sharks on Saturday.

“The marketing team have done a great job,” said a delighted Plumtree after the match.

“In the last 15 minutes of the game we could hear the South African voices, they helped get us over the line.”

The Sharks are now the first South African franchise to reach a final of an European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) competition.

“It was a case of us not giving up, this is where I want to go with this team,” Plumtree said.

“I’m not really the type of coach that likes to add extra pressure, I mean the occasion was always going to be big, we just had to focus on what we needed to do in the game.

“So adding another layer of pressure wasn’t part of the plan. I’m sure most people in South Africa are happy with the result.”