'Not been good enough' - Sharks to axe John Plumtree

The Sharks have confirmed that head coach John Plumtree will step down at the end of the 2025/26 season as part of wide-ranging structural changes at the Durban franchise.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the club’s ownership and management said a “comprehensive review” of rugby operations had been undertaken following a disappointing start to the campaign.

The review, which involved stakeholders across all levels of the organisation, concluded that the team’s problems were “multi-faceted” and required systemic change rather than “simple fixes.”

The Sharks said in a statement: “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 assist in the interim, the Sharks will bring in a technical coach consultant “as a matter of urgency” to focus on on-field performance and the team’s game model. “My priority has always been what’s best for the Sharks and that remains my focus,” said Plumtree.

Director of Rugby Neil Powell will assume broader operational responsibilities, including oversight of the academy and junior systems, player recruitment, logistics, and medical and rehabilitation programmes.

Chief Executive Shaun Bryans said the organisation’s entire rugby programme would remain under review for the rest of the season, with external experts to be brought in to help drive improvements.

“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,” Bryans said. “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.”