The Sharks have endured another poor start to the season, which has seen John Plumtree’s team win just one game from five, while they dwell down in 13th spot on the URC log.
Ultimately, it has led to a “series of significant changes to their rugby programme which will take place over the coming months”, and that will ultimately see John Plumtree vacate his role as head coach and move into a different capacity.
“John Plumtree will step down as head doach by mutual agreement at the end of the 2025/26 season,” a statement from the Sharks read. “Plumtree retains the complete backing and support of ownership, management and players. To continue building on the significant contributions he has already made, he will move to a mentoring and advisory role.”
JOHN PLUMTREE WAS IN HIS SECOND STINT AS HEAD COACH AT THE SHARKS
Sharks CEO Shaun Bryans commented: “Our performances this season have not been good enough, and we owe it to our fans and stakeholders to acknowledge and take full responsibility — no excuses. That accountability sits across the entire organisation — from management and players, to myself as CEO.
“As an ownership group and leadership team, we remain ambitious about the future of the Sharks and, over the coming months, no stone will be left unturned as we look to build a high-performance environment capable of delivering the success that our players are capable of and that our fans and partners deserve.”
DECISION AFTER REVIEW PROCESS
Following another disappointing start to the season, the leadership team conducted a comprehensive review of the Sharks’ rugby structures, engaging multiple stakeholders across all levels of the operation.
“Management’s assessment is that the problem is multi-faceted; and we are clear that the long-term success of the Sharks will be best served by tackling issues across the organisation rather than relying on simple fixes,” a statement continued. “This process has informed the following immediate steps, with further updates to follow in the months ahead.
Neil Powell will focus on certain key operational areas including the Junior and Academy programmes, player recruitment and retention, logistics, medical and rehab, travel, planning, and budget management.
In addition, Sharks CEO Shaun Bryans has confirmed that the entire rugby programme will remain under critical review for the rest of the season.
The top-to-bottom review will include a detailed assessment of every department and function and will involve external experts to help inform structural and performance improvements.
