Coach Sean Everitt has explained how the Sharks’ six-man leadership group will work and described in detail what each of those players’ responsibilities are.

On Tuesday, centre Lukhanyo Am was announced as the Sharks captain for the 2020 Vodacom Super Rugby season. He will be assisted by a leadership group comprising Louis Schreuder, Curwin Bosch, Thomas du Toit, Andre Esterhuizen and Makazole Mapimpi.

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When quizzed about the unusually large leadership group he picked to assist Am, Everitt said he felt the Sharks needed depth in that department.

‘In the past, the Sharks have been spoken about as a team with a lack of leadership, so we felt there’s a need to grow the leadership within the squad,’ Everitt explained.

‘It’s very difficult for Lukhanyo to oversee absolutely everything on and off the field, so we felt as a management that he would need some assistance in that department and I think because we are a new squad and also a youthful squad, that it would be necessary to get leaders around him to support the youngsters and the new players in the team.

‘So we brought in five leaders to help Lukhanyo with his job on the field and they’ve each got responsibilities, and they’re really important responsibilities if we want to be a player-driven organisation.’

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Everitt was specific on what on-field role he wants for each leader in the quest to help make the captaincy easier for Am.

‘Thomas comes in to look after the set piece, Louis will look after the game management and organisation, Andre will look after the defence, Curwin – who is growing as a flyhalf – is the general and he will be looking at the attack, and the man who scores the tries – Makazole – will be looking after the transition because that is where the majority of the tries come from,’ Everitt added.

‘Am was an automatic choice as captain’

The coach then defended his selection of Bosch as one of the core leaders in the squad, saying the 22-year-old is ready to take on the added responsibility. The move is part of their succession planning which would ultimately result in Bosch one day taking over from Am as captain.

‘The team looks at the No 10 for leadership and Curwin has grown as a leader with our group,’ Everitt commented.

‘He is an outspoken person in team meetings and rightfully so, because that is his job on the field and we feel that we can develop him further and hopefully one day he could take over the reins from Lukhanyo.’

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