News24.com | 'He's got real passion for Sharks' says Powell of Plumtree as Leinster clash looms

• Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell said John Plumtree fits the Sharks ethos perfectly and is the man to take the franchise forward.
• Plumtree was unveiled by the Sharks for his second stint with the franchise and will begin his job on 1 July.
• The Sharks will be facing Leinster in their United Rugby Championship quarterfinal in Dublin on Saturday.

Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell said John Plumtree's passion for the Sharks will play a crucial role in the righting of the side's ship next season.

Plumtree, who will begin his second spell as Sharks coach, was unveiled by the Durban franchise on Thursday morning as Sean Everitt's replacement.

Plumtree's last official employment post was being the All Blacks' forwards coach after his spell with the Hurricanes with John Boyd.

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However, he became the first victim of the All Blacks' coaching clear-out after last year's 2-1 Test series loss to Ireland at home.

Powell said Plumtree understands the Sharks' system and culture, values that make him a critical component to their future.

"He's got a passion for the Sharks and it's crucial that we get people into the system that who have a real passion for the Sharks," Powell said.

"He knows what the Sharks stand for and that's exactly what he's bringing to the franchise. He was here as a player and a coach.

"He understands the culture and how the system functions, something that's crucial for us in appointing a coach."

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As the lowest-ranked qualifier, the Sharks gifted themselves an away playoff against Leinster, who are now the toughest proposition in European rugby.

That the game is taking place in Dublin speaks to the gravity of the task at hand for the Sharks, who will be without the injured Siya Kolisi.

Leinster already put points over the Sharks in the round-robin stage and with the full-strength side they didn't bring to South Africa, they’re also fresh.

Powell said that their being underdogs is an understatement, but they'll try to use any weakness they'll sense from the Heineken Champions Cup finalists.

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"It's fair to say they'll be favourites going into the game. They're a team that's been together for a long time," Powell said.

"They have a good flow and momentum in how they play, and they understand what they want to do.

"They also have one or two areas that we can target, and we'll definitely look to do that, so we'll have a bit of freedom.

"The pressure is on them to succeed in this game, but they did well to beat Toulouse at home, so they'll be up for this game, and they're definitely favourites.

"At least we still have a good platform we can build on for next season."