Sharks also in market for new coach

There will be at least four new Super Rugby coaches at the South African franchises in 2016, while the Southern Kings are also still in the market for a chief mentor.

The coaching merry-go-round went into full swing in recent weeks – with the Stormers, Bulls and now the Sharks all in the market for a new head coach.

The coaching duo of Johan Ackermann and Swys de Bruin at the Lions will be the only combination from 2015 remaining in place.

The Cheetahs have already had their changing of the guard in the past fortnight – Franco Smith for Naka Drotské.

The departure of Allister Coetzee at the Stormers – he is heading to Japan – is also not news. However, his replacement needs to be confirmed – with former Sharks coach and now Hurricanes forwards mentor John Plumtree the leading candidate.

The Bulls board of Directors, who on Friday announced a mass exodus of senior players, have also yet to confirm what the future holds for Frans Ludeke. However, inside sources remain adamant that Ludeke's time at Loftus has come to an end.

The most interesting development this week has not been the speculation surrounding Newlands or Loftus Versfeld, but the revelation that Sharks boss Gary Gold will not be involved in the on-field coaching next year and will fulfil his designated duties as Director of Rugby – moving 'upstairs' at Kings Park and opening the way for a new head coach.

Brad MacLeod-Henderson, who has fronted as head coach in the Currie Cup for the past couple of seasons, was the most prominent of Gold's backroom staff during their disastrous 2015 Super Rugby season.

Informed sources claim that not only is Gold moving into the boardroom, but MacLeod-Henderson will also be moved sideways to make room for a new head coach.

Some whispers have it that former All Black, Western Force and Lions coach John Mitchell – who recently turned down the Stormers job – has been sounded out about the Sharks position.

Mitchell, who is a director at a major venture in Pietermaritzburg, was previously approached to help the Sharks with their junior structures.

However, his asking price at the time was too high and the "discussions" never went very far. They may well have found a benefactor that can help them 'afford' Mitchell.

rugby365 can also reveal that apart from the reported fact that Mitchell – when he was approached by the Stormers – wanted a four-year contract (he was offered only a two-year deal), expressed concerns about the backroom staff.

Mitchell questioned the "competency" of the rest of the coaching structure at Newlands – which currently includes Robbie Fleck, Matt Proudfoot and Paul Treu. There is no guarantee he would be able to bring his own choices as backroom staff on board.

Another interesting development in the Newlands saga is the hefty asking price of Plumtree, said to be in the region of ZAR4-million per year.

Also counting against the Stormers' chances of luring Plumtree to Cape Town is the fact that Plumtree is also in discussion with the New Zealand Rugby Union

Those discussions are ongoing and if Plumtree does turn the Stormers down, as some insiders suggest he will, they could be in a deep hole – as they have already been turned down by the other Kiwi they approached.

The developments in Pretoria are just as intriguing.

The most recent dispatches from inside the boardroom at Loftus Versfeld suggest that Ludeke will be pushed out altogether and won't be offered the Director of Rugby position as has been suggested in recent weeks.

Springbok forwards coach Johann van Graan has been linked to the position of head coach at the Bulls, with current Bok head coach Heyneke Meyer reportedly lined up to be the new Director of Rugby – a position he held before becoming Springbok coach.

Discussions between Meyer and the South African Rugby Union over a contract extension at the national team, is ongoing – leaving some uncertainty about his return to Pretoria.

Van Graan's  backroom staff are likely to include Bok lock Victor Matfield, who will retire (for a second time) after the World Cup, and Fourie du Preez.

The other franchise where the coaching structure for 2016 is far from complete is at the Kings.

Lions backline coach Swys de Bruin this week turned down an offer from the Kings to move to Port Elizabeth.

Brent Janse van Rensburg, a former Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University coach will be in charge of the Kings during the Currie Cup and could be an option. Carlos Spencer, who was head coach last year, has been demoted to a backline and skills mentor, while forwards coach Darron Nell also has ambitions of being the Super Rugby head coach.

By Jan de Koning

@King365ed

@rugby365com