The last time the Sharks played the Lions in a Currie Cup final was in 2011, and coach John Plumtree regrets a selection mistake that not only helped the Johannesburg side win, but also lost him bragging rights against his countryman, John Mitchell.
It is fascinating that Mitchell, a former coach of the All Blacks, and Plumtree grew up in the same remote New Zealand town of Hawera.
They played against each other Mitchell for Waikato and Plumtree for Taranaki and later they coached against each other across various competitions.
The close friends had a sideline and very much fun trophy, whenever they coached each other, called the Hawera Cup (it is nothing more than a coffee cup sporting the towns logo).
Plumtree laughed when he was reminded of the Hawera Cup after naming his team to play the Lions in tomorrows Currie Cup final at Ellis Park (4pm kick-off).
