Sharks reveal 2020 Super Rugby coaching team

NEWS: The Sharks confirmed that Currie Cup head coach Sean Everitt will head up the Sharks coaching team for the 2020 Super Rugby tournament.

He will be assisted by backline/attack coach David Williams and the new addition of the highly regarded Brent Janse van Rensburg, as forwards coach.

Nick Easter, the current forwards coach has opted to return to England to further his coaching career closer to home.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Sharks," commented Easter. "My family and I have made many memories and wonderful friends in Durban. It was a privilege to be involved with such a prestigious club that has helped develop my coaching career."

Brent is a great acquisition for the Sharks. He achieved hugely impressive results with the Griquas team, who won the Supersport Rugby Challenge and very nearly finished the pool stages of the Currie Cup top of the log. With him at the helm they went through the 2019 season having won 14 of their 18 matches played.

The Sharks incumbent CEO, Eduard Coetzee said: "Continuity in player personnel is key to any team’s success, but so too amongst the coaching staff and Sean has played an important role in not only taking the team to the semifinals of the Currie Cup, but has blooded a number of youngsters and worked hard on creating a brotherhood that grew as the tournament progressed.

"It was important for us to assemble a coaching group who share not only in our vision for the team, but also in the strong Sharks culture we are driving, one of accountability and commitment. We are confident we have that with this group of people driven coaches."

Everitt is looking forward to continuing the growth of the Sharks.

"It’s an honour for me to be entrusted with the responsibility of being head coach of the Sharks Super Rugby team," stated Everitt.

"I’m very pleased with the growth of the team. We had several goals before the Currie Cup and I think we’ve achieved a lot of them. We wanted to grow the environment, grow the squad, grow the individuals and we wanted to give the youngsters an opportunity to develop for Super Rugby and I think we’ve achieved all that.

"The hard work continues for the new season and we as a coaching group, all of whom I am very excited to work with, will do everything we can to ensure that our players are best prepared for the start of the tournament, not only from a coaching point of view but also in terms of their mindset and the environment created for them to thrive."

Incoming forwards coach,Janse van Rensburg added: "It’s a huge honour and privilege to be involved in Sharks rugby and I am thankful for the opportunity given to me and the belief in my abilities. I am excited to work with Sean as Head Coach. He is a great man and deserves this opportunity.

"There are good people at The Sharks who share the same vision of developing not just good rugby players, but good people. I’m excited to work with everyone and the road ahead."

In addition to the three coaches named, the Sharks announced the appointment of Phiwe Nomlomo as the skills specialist who will work with all the professional teams.

Nomlomo most recently coached the SA Schools A team in August’s Under-18 International Series and previously coached Selborne College and assisted Border’s U19 Craven Week side that went through the 2018 tournament unbeaten.

"It is a huge honour for me to join the Sharks family in a coaching capacity," exclaimed Nomlomo. "I am excited about this opportunity, which I am not taking for granted and one that I want to embrace with both hands.

"I was in Durban as a player and now return in a new capacity, which will enable me to reunite with familiar faces and meet new people. Durban is certainly a home away from home."

The Sharks Academy’s, Etienne Fynn, has been the scrummaging advisor to the Sharks during the 2019 season and will take on a more permanent coaching role across all the Sharks teams as scrummaging coach.

Meanwhile, the Sharks also revealed that out-going CEO Gary Teichmann will also assume a formal role with the Sharks team.

Teichmann will provide mentorship to the coaching team, drive player relations and the team culture within the Sharks.