Sharks new coaching structure is 'French fried'

NEWS: The Sharks have confirmed their new coaching structure ahead of the 2022/2023 season.

BlitzBoks head coach Neil Powell, who will start his tenure as Director of Rugby at the Sharks in September, is set to be the lead voice among the coaches.

"Neil will be at the helm, to develop and oversee all rugby structures within the Sharks and to ensure that our teams are aligned in terms of the identified coaching DNA," said Sharks CEO Eduard Coetzee.

"He will implement and manage an effective plan to achieve the franchise’s objectives, which is ultimately to win trophies.

"He will oversee the United Rugby Championship, as well as our first foray in the Champions Cup. As a globally respected and admired coach, we are confident that he will get the best out of players and brings a winning mindset to The Sharks.”

"Neil’s immediate focus and commitment over the next few months will be on the BlitzBok's preparation for the Sevens World Cup in September and as proud South Africans, we wish him and the team much success. We look forward to him joining us before the start of the 2022/2023 URC season starting in September."

There will also be some new faces joining Powell, Sean Everitt (head coach) and the other current coaches.

Yannick Bru will be the team’s breakdown coach for the European competitions.

Bru is a former France international hooker and a dual Champions Cup winner with Toulouse.

He has coached at the highest level, as forwards coach for France for five years and five years at Toulouse, before spending the last four years as head coach at Bayonne.

He joins the Sharks on a one-year deal with the option to renew.

Meanwhile, the Sharks also confirmed the appointment of Joey Mongalo.

Mongalo, who will work closely with Powell, will oversee the Currie Cup competition and junior rugby at the Sharks.

For the past two seasons, Mongalo has fulfilled the role of senior defence coach at the Bulls and comes to the Sharks as a highly rated member of the coaching world.

He spent nine seasons with the Lions in various coaching roles between 2011 and 2019, leading their Under-19s to silverware in 2016 and 2017 as head coach, and as defence coach for their U19s, U21s, Vodacom Cup, Currie Cup, Super Rugby (2018 finalists) and the Junior Springboks in 2016.

"In this upcoming season we will be participating in no less than five competitions," Coetzee added. "This means that not only is player depth important, but coaching depth too. It was therefore essential for us to get the right people involved and we have used the last 18 months to do exactly that.

"We believe that this new Sharks coaching structure will give us stability and an opportunity to fight for trophies and achieve success moving forward."