NEIL POWELL APPOINTED AS THE SHARKS DIRECTOR OF RUGBY:
Durban, 13 February 2022: The Sharks CEO, Dr Eduard Coetzee has announced an exciting new change to our rugby structure that will be effective from the 2022/2023 season. This development has been implemented to ensure sustainable success and provide the best and most effective support structure for Sean Everitt, Etienne Fynn and their coaching teams to best perform in the respective Vodacom United Rugby Championship and Carling Currie Cup competitions.
To this end, we are delighted to announce that Neil Powell, the highly successful Blitzboks coach will take on the role of The Sharks Director of Rugby from this September, after the conclusion of his coaching commitments with the Blitzboks at the Sevens World Cup.
Commenting on the appointment, Coetzee explained, “Neil is an unbelievable human being and what he has developed and achieved with the Blitzboks has been phenomenal. He has inculcated a strong work ethic and a sound culture at the Blitzboks where accountability and respect is at the fore.
“As Director of Rugby at The Sharks, Neil will oversee our entire on-field rugby programme and will support the various coaching teams within our set-up. He will be responsible for driving on-field high performance, team culture, standards and will ensure that there is a thorough process and a blueprint developed to achieve sustainable success at the highest level.
“Sean Everitt remains as head coach of the senior team and Sean will benefit from Neil’s experience, guidance and support as well as the operational structures that Neil will implement to ensure an optimal high performance working environment, which in turn drives performance on the field.”
Having built a tight-knit squad at the Sevens, creating a well-oiled machine that has enjoyed great success on the international circuit, it is envisaged that Powell will add his unique style, vast knowledge and extensive experience of driving a culture of accountability to what is already in place at The Sharks and help to make this the best performing rugby structure.
“After a nine-year stint with the Blitzboks this is a new challenge for my personal development and an exciting opportunity that has been presented to me that I gladly accept with great honour,” stated Neil Powell. “The Sharks is an unbelievable brand and I’m looking forward to working with the likes of Ed and Sean, who already have a strong vision of where they want to go in the future and if I can contribute in any way to achieving that vision that would be great.”
“I am looking forward to the challenge and how I can positively contribute to making this franchise hugely successful not just in South Africa, but globally as well. This will be a collective effort by every person involved in the set-up.”
Coetzee added, “This is a hugely exciting time for The Sharks and will ensure that everyone is aligned in terms of our vision moving forward. I’m extremely positive about this development, and Neil has my full support as well as the support of The Sharks board and ownership group.
ENDS.
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The Cell C Sharks delivered a commanding performance to earn a 29-22 bonus point win in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday evening.
Despite their roughly 65% possession and territory advantage, the Bulls had no answer to the ferociousness of the Cell C Sharks, a team that brought their A-game and were never going to allow themselves to be physically bullied, and instead dominated in a game that delivered every bit of tension we’ve come to expect with these two teams meet.
The scoreline was closer than the scoreboard suggests, with the home side scoring two late tries when they were 14 points behind in the closing minutes, but the bonus point to add to the 30-16 first round victory at Hollywoodbets Kings Park a little over two months ago is a wonderful reward for the team in Black & White.
A good start for any team is paramount and while the Cell C Sharks were forced to defend for the opening 10 minutes of the game, once they managed to get out of their half, the game came alive.
A late, high and swinging arm direct connection to the neck of Lukhanyo Am representing a high degree of danger with no mitigation led to a red card for Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn and the impetus for the first score of the game.
Off an attacking maul, Henco Venter barged the first would-be tackler off his feet with a powerful shove to open the way to the tryline, with Tito Bonilla adding the two.
To their credit and despite being a man down, the Bulls got back into the Cell C Sharks’ half and once more exerted long term pressure but their patience didn’t hold, while the visitors forced the mistake on the tryline that allowed them relief. A scrum penalty took away further pressure.
Once more, the Bulls were the architects of their demise as the Cell C Sharks were able to work their way deep into the hosts’ half, the pressure too much to bare and then a lineout maul saw hooker Bongi Mbonambi break off and smash his way through two defenders to score the second try. Bonilla converted from wide and the Durban side had a 14-nil lead after half an hour’s play.
It didn’t stop the juggernaut effort from the Bulls who continued to exert pressure. They were constantly thwarted as they hammered away at the line, but defence must eventually given in and when the Cell C Sharks were reduced to 14 men for a team warning, the Bulls managed to get over in the corner just before half-time for their opening score, although the conversion was wide.
There were a few seconds left to play and this was where the greatest answer to conceding a try came.
The kick-off from Bonilla threatened to go out on the full, the Bulls left it to go out, but captain Lukhanyo Am snatched the ball out of no-man’s land, grubbered past the last line of defence and only had to catch and dot down for his team’s third try in quite the most extraordinary final play of the half and a 19-5 lead at the break.
But it was the home side who scored first in the second half, the teams even on personnel and a strong and patient build-up from the forwards finally saw then barge over for their second try, the extras making it a 19-12 game early on.
With the final quarter approaching, the Cell C Sharks worked their way into the Bulls 22 and from a set move off a dominant scrum, pulled the defence infield before sending it out wide to Makazole Mapimpi who jogged over unmarked for the bonus point try. Curwin Bosch was on and his conversion from out wide took his team into a 26-12 lead.
With five minutes remaining, the Bulls began to show some desperation to keep their fortress record intact and were rewarded with a forward try, although the conversion was wide, meaning they had to score at least twice if they harboured any designs on winning.
Then things really came alive as they scored their bonus point try with two minutes remaining, a good break out wide for the try in the corner. The conversion was once again wide and the margin four points with a couple of minutes to go.
In sheer desperation, the Bulls tried to run the ball out of their 22 from the kick-off, but captain and Man of the Match Lukhanyo Am showed heroism to earn a penalty at the breakdown, handing Bosch a final kick at posts and he made no mistake to close out a quite incredible game.
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