'Next job mentality': How the Sharks affected turnaround after Everitt sacking, Cardiff turmoil

Sharks centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg says the Sharks dealt with the turmoil that erupted after the Cardiff defeat and subsequent Sean Everitt sacking by sticking to a "next job mentality".

Van Rensburg was nearing the peak of his stride in Durban when a series of unfortunate events curtailed his momentum and threatened to derail the entire Sharks season.

The midfielder first copped a three-match ban after getting sent off in the Sharks' chastening 54-34 defeat to Leinster in Dublin.

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He returned only to partner Francois Venter in midfield during the earth-shaking 35-0 defeat to Cardiff at Kings Park in the United Rugby Championship (URC) round eight.

So bad was the result that it saw the back of former head coach Everitt, who spent 15 years in various roles at the Shark Tank and was a soundly revered and liked figure at the establishment.

But director of rugby Neil Powell, who took over as head coach, steadied the ship by getting the team to focus on the next gig and not to dwell on the past, according to Janse van Rensburg.

"There wasn't something Neil necessarily did but it was about having a next job mentality," Janse van Rensburg said.

"You can't change the past, you can't change what happened or what happened to Sean. We miss Sean but you have to have a next job mentality.

"If you're going to get drained in the sadness of him leaving and everything going on, then we wouldn't have gone on the five-game winning streak.

"That's the mentality Neil brought. We can't do anything about the past but we must focus on what's lying ahead and what we need to accomplish as a team.

"He got everyone on board with that."

Van Rensburg