Former Tuks and Blue Bulls U19 coach Jaco Pienaar will be joining the Sharks' coaching team on a two-year contract.

The Sharks confirmed their coaching group for the 2017 Super Rugby season on Wednesday, with Pienaar set to join head coach Robert du Preez and assistants Sean Everitt (backline and attack) and Ryan Strudwick (defence). Pienaar will be focusing on working with the forwards.

'A lot of work has been done to strategise the way forward and we have assembled a skilled group of coaches, who bring continuity as well as great commitment to put in the hard yards to achieve the goals we have set out for ourselves,' Du Preez commented. 

'The majority of our coaching team have lived and played in KZN for many years, understand our unique culture, and have worked with the young players in our team. We are four weeks into our pre-season programme, and there is great energy and positivity among everyone.'

Du Preez also announced that Paul Anthony and Ricardo Loubscher would head up the Sharks XV’s Currie Cup qualifying campaign next year.

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