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Cape Town - Head coach Robert du Preez is on a planned break as the Sharks aim to defend their Currie Cup title.
The Sharks announced last Friday that Sean Everitt would take the coaching reins in the 2019 Currie Cup, with Du Preez taking a back seat.
Du Preez, who coached the Sharks to the Currie Cup title last year, has been under pressure after some indifferent performances from the Sharks in Super Rugby, with some media outlets reporting that he would be sacked.
It raised questions when the Sharks announced Everitt as their Currie Cup coach last week, but the Durban franchise insists that Du Preez is still the man in charge.
"Rob was always going to take a break during the 2019 Currie Cup. He is contracted until 2020," a Sharks spokesperson told Sport24 on Monday.
Everitt, meanwhile, has coached the Sharks' junior teams with great success, most recently in 2018 when the under-19 side went the entire season unbeaten. In 2017, he was backline coach for the Sharks' Super Rugby campaign when the team won nine of their 15 season matches.
Everitt will be assisted by David Williams and Nick Easter, both of whom were part of the Sharks' Super Rugby coaching staff.
Williams joined the Sharks at the start of the season following stints with the Kobe Steelers, London Irish, Bath, the Southern Kings and the Cheetahs.
Easter, the former England No 8, was involved in the coaching set-up for the successful Currie Cup campaign last year. He returned to Durban to contribute towards the 2019 Super Rugby campaign and will stay put for the remainder of the season.
The Sharks' Currie Cup campaign kicks off next Friday (July 12) when they host Griquas at Kings Park.
