Sharks need staff and players to settle, says former coach Everitt

Former Sharks coach Sean Everitt says the coastal side should be firing on all cylinders once they have settled in terms of player recruitment and the coaching staff.

Everitt returned to Durban to face his former employers in the United Rugby Championship with Scottish side Edinburgh. The trip is one that Everitt will be hoping to forget as he saw his side dominated by the Sharks on their way to losing 23-13 on Saturday.

Many who have been associated with the Sharks have found it difficult to watch the team go through the struggles they experienced in the URC this season.

However, the Sharks seem to have turned a page. They are playing their best rugby under John Plumtree this term and are looking to improve further.

‘Good team’

Speaking to the media after the match, Everitt shared his thoughts on his former team’s fortunes this season in the URC and what’s needed for them to continue their ascendency.

“It’s a difficult one for me because I haven’t been here and intimately involved in the team (since he left),” said Everitt.

“For me, I think this team needs to settle from a recruitment point of view and coaching point of view. I read the other day that the Sharks have had over 40 coaches over the last ten years; you can’t build consistency regarding that.

“The team that the Sharks put out week to week is good and is a team that can win and a team that can play. If you look at a guy like (Aphelele) Fassi today, he put us under huge pressure with his kicking game and counter-attacking ability.

“They do have a set-piece that operates well and we all know that winning teams have good set-pieces. It’s about them sticking together and putting together some good performances going forward.”

Everitt under pressure

Everitt came under fire in Scotland with TV pundits calling Edinburgh’s performance against the Sharks the worst they had seen, claiming they looked like a team that can’t play rugby.

“It’s very hard to play rugby when you’re jammed in your own half for most of the game, so I disagree with that. I wouldn’t say we are a team that can’t play rugby. It’s a team that struggled to get territory,” said Everitt.

Next for Everitt’s Edinburgh is a Challenge Cup last-16 encounter against French side Bayonne on Saturday. If they win that match, there’s a possibility they will return to Durban to face the Sharks in the quarter-finals, should the KZN side win their last-16 tie against Italian side Zebre at King’s Park Stadium on Sunday.