It appears that Sunday’s opening Investec Champions Cup game against Toulouse will be John Plumtree’s last as head coach of the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
It is understood an announcement will be made later on Friday, with Plumtree set to take on a background role going forward as mentor to a new interim coach, who will be former Springbok and Sharks wing JP Pietersen.
It is understood that Plumtree is releasing his more high profile role for personal reasons, although it is also true that the Sharks gave rise to an untenable situation both for themselves and their coach with the decisions taken and announced in October.
To refresh memories, the Sharks announced after the fifth round of the Vodacom URC, which was the start of the break for the November international window, that Plumtree would relinquish his role as Sharks head coach at the end of the current season in June next year.
It was said then that Plumtree would take on another role from the end of the season but there’s been no confirmation of what that role would be.
Rapid from the boys 🔥
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) December 5, 2025
Tune in for our opening #InvestecChampionsCup match against Toulouse on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/S2PzSUeOfw
Pietersen is 39 and is young in coaching terms but he has presided over two relatively successful Carling Currie Cup campaigns with the Sharks XV and impressed in both seasons with his ability to get the culture right after poor starts.
The Sharks are likely to go understrength against Toulouse on Sunday as they start out in the new competition after a disastrous start to the URC, where they are currently languishing in 14th place after six games.
The Sharks are expected to have their Springboks back for the first home game in the Champions Cup against Saracens the following week and it looks likely now that it will also be Pietersen’s first game in charge of the senior team.