Wellington a Plum Draw for Springboks

Sharks coach John Plumtree in his Wellington coaching days. PHOTO: Above Ground Level.

Being hosted in Wellington during the majority of their bid to retain the Webb Ellis Cup has got the Springboks off to a winning start according to Kiwi super-coach John Plumtree.

Plumtree may have signed on for three more years at the helm of the Sharks Super15 side, but he still has a soft spot for the New Zealand capital city he once called home.

“The South African boys are lucky to have been allocated Wellington. It’s a special place.”

Plumtree coached the Wellington Lions to three grand finals in the 2003, 2004 and 2006 New Zealand provincial Rugby tournaments. He then took that winning form to Durban-based The Sharks, where his contract was recently extended for a further three years until the end of 2013. Plumtree has won South Africa’s domestic Rugby competition, the Currie Cup, as both a player and coach of the province. Securing the title in 2008 was The Sharks' first silverware since 1996.

While South Africa has been Plumtree’s home for the past three years, his thoughts often stray to his old home town.

“Wellington's a great place and forms such a great part of my life,” he says. “There's so much going on, and it's all there - cafes, shops, great walks and fishing right on your doorstep…All I had to do was head over the hill to Makara for a spot of spear-fishing, or over to the south coast for some paua. I loved it.”

Born in the south Taranaki town of Hawera, Plumtree began his senior Rugby playing career with Taranaki in 1985 before a stint playing with the Natal Sharks from 1988 to 1997. As a player he helped the Natal Sharks to two Currie Cup titles in 1990 and 1996, and represented South Africa in two Hong Kong Sevens tournaments in 1994 and 1995.

Plumtree says Wellington is always a favourite with his Sharks players when they visit during Super15 or when representing South Africa in the annual Tri-Nations Rugby tournament.

Wellington is already well known as a top-notch destination among their Rugby heroes, and he expects South African fans who make the journey over to Rugby World Cup 2011 will be especially delighted with the coastal flavour of the capital city.

“A lot of the South African boys like to fish. I doubt the players will get much of a chance to get out on a boat or get wet, but I’m sure there will be a few fans keen to give it a go.

“I’d very much recommend to anyone visiting to hire a car and head over to the Wairarapa, or head up the Kapiti Coast. Get out and check it out. That’s the beauty of Wellington. There’s just so much going on. "