The Sharks head coach, John Plumtree, accused rugby’s administrators of treating South African players “like robots” after he fielded a drastically weakened team in this crushing defeat. Already severely depleted by injury, the Sharks’ options were further limited by Plumtree’s decision to leave stellar names such as Siya Kolisi, Andre Esterhuizen and Ox Nché back home in South Africa. The only possible conclusion was that this match had long since been written off as a cross in the “L” column by the visitors.
The Sharks had listed 15 players as unavailable due to injury when naming a XV featuring eight changes from last week’s home victory against Exeter. Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi were among those sidelined. But the absence of Kolisi, Esterhuizen and Nché – fit but rested – must have been a bitter disappointment for anyone who bought a ticket.
