Sharks confirm head coach John Plumtree's end-of-season exit amid structural overhaul

A re-jig of the coaching structures is set to take place at the Durban-based outfit at the end of the current season, as per reports, with director of rugby Neil Powell transitioning into a rugby operational position.

While Plumtree will be stepping down from his position as head coach by mutual agreement at the end of the 2025/26 season, he will remain in the Sharks' structures, moving into a mentoring and advisory role

"The Sharks ownership and management have confirmed a series of significant changes to their rugby programme which will take place over the coming months," a statement from the club read.

"Following a 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. This process has informed the following immediate steps, with further updates to follow in the months ahead.

"John Plumtree will step down as head coach by mutual agreement at the end of the 2025/26 season. 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. To support Plumtree in driving results over the remainder of the season, The Sharks will engage a technical coach consultant as a matter of urgency to provide input across on-field performance, with particular focus on the game model. Plumtree commented 'My priority has always been what's best for the Sharks and that remains my focus'."

The statement continued: "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, The 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.

"Encouragingly, The Sharks' junior system continues to be a source of pride and optimism. The Sharks Academy and youth structures have consistently developed world-class talent, with multiple homegrown Junior Springboks and a recent U21 SA Cup title highlighting the strength of the next generation rising through the ranks."

This all comes after a poor start to the 2025/26 season with the Sharks winning just one of their opening five games, which included a run of four straight defeats. Heading into the international break, the Sharks are ranked 13th overall in the URC standings, boasting just eight points for their efforts.

It's a far cry from where such a star-studded team, brimming with Springboks, should be, which has led to much frustration among the fans and from the board.

Planet Rugby has learnt that Marco Masotti, who is one of the largest shareholders of the Sharks, was fuming after the defeat to Ulster when Plumtree had the likes of Siya Kolisi, Andre Esterhuizen, Ox Nche, Ethan Hooker and Eben Etzebeth at his disposal.

The 29-19 defeat to the Irish province prompted careful consideration over the club's future, and while the board almost pulled the trigger at that point, they resisted the urge to do so.

"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," Shaun Bryans said in the statement.

"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."

While the board was close to making a call after the defeat to Ulster, Planet Rugby has been informed by a reliable source that senior players in the squad, including Springboks, intervened and stalled the move to remove Plumtree as the head coach, insisting that the team's poor results were not his doing.

The New Zealander was seemingly saved as he has the backing of the dressing room, but only until the end of the current season, as the search begins for his successor.

The Sharks will not be short on options, however, as sources at the club tell this publication that at least eight CVs have been sent through after the poor start to the season, while many top-flight coaches who have expressed interest in joining the ranks previously have maintained their position.

It's understood that JP Pietersen is highly thought of in the Sharks structures and viewed as the future head coach of the team, having served as the team's Currie Cup boss. However, it's not clear whether he would be a candidate for the job so soon, considering that he is in the early stages of his coaching career. Another candidate in the current ranks is highly-regarded defence coach Joey Mongalo.

As alluded to by the Sharks' statement, none of the assistant coaches have been dismissed as of yet, but none are safe from the axe as the "entire rugby programme will remain under critical review".

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