The Sharks have introduced their new coaching structure for the 2022/2023 season with the headline appointment being that of Neil Powell as director of rugby.
Powell initially joined the Sharks as an assistant coach under then head coach Sean Everitt. But when Everitt was sacked late final yr, Powell was promoted to interim head coach.
But in an official assertion launched on Tuesday, the franchise confirmed the daybreak of a new period with Powell’s appointment because the union’s director of rugby.
ALSO READ: Elated Powell calls for extra from high-flying Sharks
SHARKS STATEMENT ON NEW COACHING STRUCTURE:
Although we made the playoffs of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and certified for the European Champions Cup, we need to be much more aggressive. A powerful basis has been laid, and the time has come for us to construct from this.
We have assembled a formidable and dedicated group of present and new coaches, spearheaded by Sean Everitt, to harness the expertise inside this staff and to take our rugby to the subsequent stage.
To this finish, we’re excited to verify the appointment of Yannick Bru because the senior staff’s breakdown coach for the European competitions. Bru is a former France worldwide and a twin Heineken Cup winner with Toulouse. He has coached on the highest stage, as forwards coach for France for 5 years and 5 years at Toulouse, earlier than spending the final 4 years as Head Coach at Bayonne. As a coach who has labored with excessive profiled gamers and groups, he is a good addition to our coaching unit and joins us on a one-year cope with the choice to resume.
The remaining addition to our new coaching structure is that of the extremely regarded Joey Mongalo, who will work intently with our DOR, to supervise the Currie Cup competitors and junior rugby on the Sharks. Mongalo’s coaching pedigree is spectacular and is strictly what we have to take our rugby ahead.
ALSO READ: Powell — Sharks nonetheless chasing their good recreation
Sharks CEO Eduard Coetzee mentioned Powell’s promotion to director of rugby is as a result of his plan for the best way ahead aligns completely with the franchise’s imaginative and prescient for the long run.
“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. He will implement and manage an effective plan to achieve the franchise’s objectives, which is ultimately to win trophies”, mentioned Sharks CEO Eduard Coetzee.
“He will oversee the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, as well as our first foray in the European 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 Blitzboks 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 VURC season starting in September.”
“In this upcoming season we can be taking part in a minimum of 5 competitions. This signifies that not solely is participant depth vital, however coaching depth too. It was subsequently important for us to get the suitable folks concerned and we’ve used the final 18 months to do precisely 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.”
ALSO READ: Sharks get away champagne rugby to thrash Bulls