Marco Masotti on Plumtree: 'The Sharks are stronger because of him'

REACTION: John Cyril Plumtree is not everyone’s cup of tea, but he still has some powerful support in the Sharks structures.

It was announced this week that a series of ‘significant changes’ to the coaching and upper management structures will take place over the coming months.

The result is that he will step down from his coaching role and move into a mentoring and advisory role.

Despite the dramatic changes, Plumtree’s boardroom popularity has not waned.

“Plumtree retains the complete backing and support of ownership, management and players,” the Sharks said in a statement.

This was supported by New York lawyer and controlling owner of the Sharks, Marco Masotti.

“Coach Plumtree arrived at the Sharks in 1988,” Masotti said of the New Zealanders’ first stint as a Currie Cup-winning player.

His first coaching stint in Durban was from 2008 to 2012, followed by terms with Ireland, Hurricanes, Japan and the All Blacks, before returning to the Sharks in 2023.

“He cares deeply about our team and is a special coach,” Masotti said.

“We won three major trophies since he returned to Durban, and our club is stronger and more resilient because of him,” said of their European Challenge Cup, Currie Cup and United Rugby Championship South African Shield wins.

Turning to the remainder of the season, with just five of the 18 rounds of league action completed, Masotti said there is a lot of rugby left.

“I hope our fans will join me in standing behind our coaches and players for the remainder of the season.

“Let’s go “

(Continue below …)

The Sharks statement in full

Durban, 29 October 2025: The Sharks ownership and management have confirmed a series of significant changes to their rugby programme which will take place over the coming months.

Following a disappointing start to the season, the leadership team conducted a comprehensive review of The Sharks’ rugby structures, engaging multiple stakeholders across all levels of the operation. Management’s assessment is that the problem is multi-faceted; and we are clear that the long-term success of The Sharks will be best served by tackling issues across the organisation rather than relying on simple fixes. This process has informed the following immediate steps, with further updates to follow in the months ahead.

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 support Plumtree in driving results over the remainder of the season, The Sharks will engage a technical coach consultant as a matter of urgency to provide input across on-field performance, with particular focus on the game model. Plumtree commented “My priority has always been what’s best for the Sharks and that remains my focus”.

Neil Powell will focus on certain key operational areas including the Junior and Academy programmes, player recruitment and retention, logistics, medical and rehab, travel, planning, and budget management.

In addition, The Sharks CEO Shaun Bryans has confirmed that the entire rugby programme will remain under critical review for the rest of the season. The top-to-bottom review will include a detailed assessment of every department and function and will involve external experts to help inform structural and performance improvements.

Encouragingly, The Sharks’ junior system continues to be a source of pride and optimism. The Sharks Academy and youth structures have consistently developed world-class talent, with multiple homegrown Junior Springboks and a recent U21 SA Cup title highlighting the strength of the next generation rising through the ranks.

The Sharks CEO Shaun Bryans commented:

“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. 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.”

@rugby365com