Gary Gold starts search for Sharks head coach

Director of rugby Gary Gold said there will no "clean out" at Sharks as the Durban club search for a new head coach.

Gold is to concentrate on his role of director of rugby after taking a more hands-on approach with the first team this season.

The 47-year-old revealed the recruitment process has already started as the Sharks look to move on from a disappointing Super Rugby campaign in which they finished 11th.

"I will focus on being a director of rugby, with a head coach coming in," he told SuperSport.

"It was always my intention to be a director of rugby, that was what I understood I was employed to be, but it didn't work out that way initially for various reasons. I won't kid anyone, there is a heck of a lot of work that needs to be done, and some of the structures have been neglected and will take time to get right.

"I need to focus on getting the youth structures right to guarantee the pipeline of talent that a union needs to be successful, and there are already plans we are working on. We need to get the age-group teams to start performing, and next year there will be a lot more effort put into the Vodacom Cup campaign.

"As director I see it as my role to work with the various coaches employed by the Sharks across all levels to ensure that the style of rugby we want the union to be known for starts coming through and is understood by all the players.

Gold added: "There won't be a major restructuring and I wouldn't call it a clean out, but there will be changes."