Sharks confirm new CEO, while parting ways with coach Du Preez

Change is well and truly afoot at Kings Park in Durban as the Sharks management confirmed a swathe of changes in July.

Former Springbok and Sharks captain Gary Teichmann has served out a three-year tenure as CEO and will be replaced by Chief Operations Officer Ed Coetzee.

The Sharks director of the board Steven Saad was present at the announcement and paid tribute to Teichmann for steering the ship in a difficult period for rugby in a global context.

“We’re really grateful for Gary’s tenure. Rugby is in a difficult place, we’re seeing declining revenues from people coming to the stadium and one is dependent on the broadcasting revenue,” Saad said.

“I want to thank you personally Gary for stepping in. You were running a very successful business; you’ve had a very successful career and you promised us three years and you delivered. It was an important time for the Sharks, it’s not an easy business to manage and you did a fantastic job.”

Coetzee will succeed Teichmann as CEO having spent six years at the Sharks as their COO. According to Saad, this was critical in Coetzee’s development and grooming as the next CEO of the Sharks.

“He’s been very instrumental in shaping the business to keep us sustainable and the Sharks are very stable in that perspective. He’s also been instrumental in recruiting and the fact that our u19s won the Currie Cup last year shows that we’ve got much stronger junior age groups. Ed’s role in bringing those youngsters through is crucial.”

Following the appointment, Coetzee confirmed that Teichmann would continue to help his personal development and adaptation to the new role over the next few months.

“I’m privileged because I am taking over a very stable environment. That’s thanks to the work that Gary has put in, not just on the administration side but on the field in terms of driving culture,” Coetzee said.

“Gary is going to be involved with the Sharks. He’s kindly agreed to carry on in a capacity that we’ll define going forward.”

Teichmann was equally complimentary of Coetzee’s role at the Sharks over the past few years and his influence when the outgoing CEO joined the fold.

“I had been out of rugby for a long time and to come in cold was not easy. The game is changing all the time and one thing I had was the support of Ed who had been in the game. His knowledge of players and clubs abroad and the whole rugby environment was a big plus to me,” Teichmann said.

“Going forward I’m 100 percent committed to adding value where I think I can and wherever Ed thinks I can. We’ve gone through some discussions and we’ll have a role that I can play that’s not treading on his toes but hopefully adding value.”

Sharks part ways with coach Du Preez

During the announcement, Teichmann also confirmed that the Sharks had reached an agreement with coach Rob du Preez to part ways – leaving the 2020 Super Rugby coaching role vacant.

Du Preez had come under increased pressure during the 2019 Super Rugby season amid talk of strife between the players and the coaching staff. Furthermore, his continual selection of Rob du Preez Jr, who was struggling for form during the entire campaign, was also heavily criticised.

The Sharks have not begun a search for a new Super Rugby coach and Teichmann intimated that this process would begin after the conclusion of the Currie Cup. Sean Everitt, who coach the Sharks U19 to the Currie Cup title last year, is head coach for the 2019 campaign.