Sharks rugby team coach John Plumtree has complained that South African teams are at a disadvantage because there are too many local derbies.

Plumtree said they are playing way too often against the other South African teams which wear the players down to play against each other so often.

Plumtree said SANZAR enjoyed the concept because it led to large South African crowds, such as the 46,000 spectators at the Bulls-Sharks match in Pretoria.

He added one will never achieve that with the derby games in Australia and New Zealand as the standard of Australian and New Zealand derbies is not nearly as intense as in South Africa.

In this week’s Super Rugby matches, Blues will play Chiefs at 6.35pm on Friday and Rebels will take on Waratahs at 8.40pm.

At 6.10am on Saturday Lions host the Hurricanes and at 6.35pm on Saturday Highlanders will be up against Crusaders.

At 8.40pm Reds will play the Western Force.


Story by: Dreu Vukailagi