The hosts shot out to a solid 15-point lead and looked to have the game in their control but ultimately a late Lions surge proved too much for the Sharks to handle.

It is the Durban team's third loss on the bounce in all competitions and one that leaves the high-powered squad at the bottom of the URC table with the situation increasingly concerning.

Plumtree felt his team gave the game away by not reacting well when put under pressure by their rivals.

"To pretty much give the match away like that, we certainly have a few problems that we're going to have to look at. Without being too disrespectful to the Lions, they put us under pressure, but we didn't help ourselves either," Plumtree said.

"Every coach feels under pressure when you're going through a patch like this, it's perfectly natural. We're all working real hard and we're trying our best.

"Like always, I look at myself first and ask what I could've done better, but I'm disappointed with that second half.

"There's something going on with the group ¦ and we all feel it. We felt good [before the game] and felt good all week, but under pressure we didn't respond well, and our decision-making under pressure was terrible tonight, and it's going to have to go down to the leaders."

It has been a difficult season for the Sharks and Plumtree admits it will be tough for the team to get over this loss as they prepare for a Challenge Cup fixture against Oyonnax next weekend.

"All I know is Monday comes around again and we go again, but it's going to be quite hard to pick ourselves up off the canvas from this one. But we've got no choice, we have to do it," he added.

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