‘No magic bullet’ against Clermont cleavers
John Plumtree has warned about Clermont’s ability to “butcher” teams as the Sharks tackle the French side in the Challenge Cup semi-finals on Saturday. DYLAN JACK reports.
The Sharks will come up against an international-laden Clermont side when they run out at Twickenham Stoop at midday on Saturday.
Among Clermont’s starting lineup is Australian fullback Alex Newsome, Argentina speedster Bautista Delguy and former All Blacks (now Tonga) centre George Moala.
Despite struggling in the domestic Top 14, Clermont sent a signal of intent in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals, demolishing Ulster 53-14.
“They’re a side that love continuity in their game,” Plumtree said when asked about the French side. “So offloading, winning collisions and keeping the game flowing through their skills. A lot of those players have outstanding skills.
“They can butcher teams through winning collisions and keeping the continuity of the game going. That’s what we’ve seen a lot of, particularly when they play at home. It’s going to be a tough challenge, as what you expect at the semi-final stage.”
The Sharks themselves have named a powerful side for the clash, including seven World Cup winners in their lineup, with Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch and Eben Etzebeth in the pack.
Plumtree said that while the Sharks can count on their forwards as an area of strength, Clermont are equally dangerous, counting Argentina internationals Tomas Lavanini and Marcos Kremer in their pack.
“The set-piece is going to be important,” Plumtree said. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in our pack. But their pack is strong as well. They have got a big lineout and strong driving maul. They aren’t just a team that can play around the park. They can be tough up front.
“There’s no real weaknesses. They’ve found a handsome formula. There’s no magic bullet for us. We need to play well in all departments.”
Saturday’s match is set to kick off at 12pm UK time, which is slightly unusual for a European semi-final and means that Sharks will have be up and doing earlier than they would prefer.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations around how we are going to manage it,” Plumtree explained. “A lot of players like to sleep in on game day, but tomorrow they certainly won’t have that sleep in that they want.
“Everyone will be up and ready to go by 8.30. Some will have one meal, some will have two. We will switch them on quite early. They need to be active earlier.
“It’s a bit of a challenge, but these days you have to be adaptable and ready for anything. Whether its a long haul flight or early kick off, that’s the way rugby is these days.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
