DURBAN – Brendan Venter, the experienced coach and former Springbok, could be utilised by the Sharks as a consultant going forward.
As the Sharks, Bulls, Lions and Stormers prepare for their entry into the newly created Rainbow Cup (the old Pro 14 plus the SA teams) in March, Venter’s experience of coaching in Europe would be invaluable.
The 54-year-old doctor has had coaching spells at London Irish, Saracens and Italy, as well as having had technical advisory roles at a host of South African teams.
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Sharks CEO Eduard Coetzee said that Venter could be used very much on a part-time basis, contributing at times as a consultant.
Venter coached the Sharks to an upset Currie Cup final win against Western Province at Newlands in 2013 after then CEO John Smit had persuaded him to help out at the Shark Tank. Smit had sacked John Plumtree but did not have a permanent successor in place, but Venter refused to continue at the Shark Tank because he wanted to put more time into his medical practice in the Western Cape.
Jake White took over from Venter but left after one season and Gary Gold came in.
Venter did not move to Durban for that brief period he coached the Sharks, preferring to commute from Cape Town a few times a week for training sessions.
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Coetzee emphasised that if Venter is to be used by the Sharks, it would be on a much lesser scale than in 2013 and it is incorrect — as speculated in some quarters of the media — that Venter was to be appointed Director of Rugby at the Sharks.
The Sharks will be bidding farewell to their attack coach, Dave Williams, who is rejoining English club Bath in October. Williams joined the Sharks at the beginning of the 2019 season with an impressive reputation after having coached at Bath, London Irish, the Southern Kings and the Cheetahs, and he was popular amongst the Sharks players but he has now chosen to return to Bath.
Head coach Sean Everitt will absorb Williams’ role but the Sharks still have the latter’s services for the next nine months.
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Coetzee confirmed yesterday that Sharks and Springbok stalwart JP Pietersen has now officially retired as a player and has now taken on a role as an age group coach at the Sharks.
IOL Sport