Powell and Everitt were 'destined for divorce' says Stransky
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok legend Joel Stransky believes the relationship between Neil Powell and Sean Everitt at the Sharks was always destined for failure.
The Sharks, with all their talent, have underperformed over the last few years and it reached the tipping point when they suffered a humiliating 0-35 at home to Cardiff in Round Eight of the United Rugby Championship.
In the aftermath, the Sharks parted ways with head coach Everitt with Powell taking over the coaching duties for the rest of the season.
Former BlitzBok head coach Powell, who was originally supposed to be an assistant coach in Durban, was unveiled as the Sharks’ Director of Rugby earlier this year and officially started his tenure in September at the start of the URC season.
“I think since Neil Powell arrived, it must have been hard for Sean Everitt,” Stransky told media during a URC Round Table on Tuesday.
“I am not taking anything away from Neil or Sean, but if you are the head coach and then all of a sudden you got a Director of Rugby, who is a Sevens specialist and who is now your boss, then it was almost like it was destined for a divorce and it has happened.
“I feel for Sean a little bit, but at the end of the day you have a lot of big names in your squad and so much talent around and you are not winning tournaments and you are losing 0-35.
“Something was bound to break.”
The story continues below…
#NEWS: Sean Everitt gets the boot 👇#URC #Sharks https://t.co/qjc5tEoEkB
— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) November 28, 2022
‘They didn’t pitch up’
Stransky, who is a former Sharks player, said Sunday’s defeat to Cardiff was hard to digest.
“I had to commentate on the game and it was hard work,” said the 1995 World Cup winner.
“It was tough and it was sad in a way.
“[Director of Rugby] Dai Young did a great job with the Cardiff team and Lloyd Williams just bossed the game from scrumhalf and just controlled territory and in those [wet] conditions, it was probably the most important factor.
“Cardiff were up for it and the Sharks just didn’t pitch up.
“There was no real desire, no real motivation and no game plan and they just didn’t offer anything at all.
“It is easy to say that they were without their Springboks, but the reality is there was still a number of talented players on that field and it was a really poor performance.”
@rugby365com
