The Sharks’ CEO, Eduard Coetzee, was left reeling after his side’s humbling 35-0 defeat to Cardiff at Kings Park in Durban on Sunday.

“Our fans, our sponsors, our stakeholders, our owners do not deserve a performance such as that one. A lot of people put a lot of effort into this franchise and a display like tonight’s does not reward them for their input,” said Coetzee.

“Also, know that we will not leave it there, we will turn this around, we will get back on the horse. This was unlike the Sharks and everything possible will be done to rectify this and it will be done as soon as possible.”

He was true to his word as his attempt to rectify the situation at the underachieving Sharks took just over 24 hours, when the union announced the news of head coach Sean Everitt’s departure on Monday.

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“This is a sad development for me and sometimes the results don’t always match the tireless effort that has been put in,” said Everitt in the Sharks’ press release.

“I have been a part of this union for close on 15 years and I’ve always had the best interests of this team at heart. I leave with no regrets.”

Sacked head coach of the Sharks Sean Everitt . (Photo: Steve Haag / Gallo Images)

Everitt has been with the Durban-based union since 2008, when he was appointed as an assistant in a Currie Cup-winning year, and he has gone through the ranks, being involved in five Currie Cup finals.

He notably coached the unbeaten Sharks Under-19s to the SA Rugby Under-19 Championship title in 2018, and thereafter he assumed the role as head coach of the 2020 Super Rugby campaign, where they were top of the log when Covid-19 brought an abrupt end to the campaign. 

Everitt navigated the team to two Currie Cup finals and in their first United Rugby Championship (URC) season in 2021/22, which saw them finishing fifth on the log before being knocked out of the competition in the quarterfinal stage by the Bulls.

“This decision has been made in the best interests of the team moving forward,” said Coetzee as the side languishes in 12th position on the URC log.

Neil Powell 

Neil Powell, the director of rugby at the Sharks and former Blitzboks head coach, will take over Everitt’s role on an interim basis.

“Our Director of Rugby, Neil Powell, will oversee the remainder of the United Rugby Championship campaign as well as our first foray in the Champions Cup, which kicks off on the 10th of December,” said Coetzee in the press statement. 

“Neil will be ably supported by the rest of our current senior coaching structure, which remains unchanged.”

When asked by Daily Maverick for further clarification on Everitt’s departure, Coetzee declined to comment.

“We won’t have any further comments outside of our press release,” he said. DM