A former Sharks player and prominent member of the Durban outfit’s leadership ranks has been appointed CEO of English Premiership giants Saracens.
Eduard Coetzee will join the London club ahead of the 2026-27 season after a career that has combined executive management with more than 300 professional appearances as a prop in South Africa and France.
Coetzee arrives from French outfit Brive, where he has served as CEO since July 2024, following more than a decade in senior leadership at the Sharks.
He initially held the role of commercial and marketing director before progressing to COO and then chief executive in 2019.
ALSO: ‘Sharks take Currie Cup very seriously’
Before moving into administration, Coetzee spent four seasons with the Sharks after coming through the club’s ranks. He later enjoyed a six-year spell in France with Bayonne and Biarritz.
“It is a tremendous honour to join Saracens as chief executive officer,” Coetzee said in a statement. “My focus is to build on the strong foundations already in place, fostering a culture where high performance, accountability and continuous improvement underpin everything we do.”
Saracens chair Dominic Silvester added: “I am delighted that Eduard will lead the club. Saracens have not rushed into this appointment and have sought out a truly capable, experienced rugby executive.
“I have seen first-hand the tremendous achievements he delivered while at the Sharks… I am confident that, in Eduard, we have a top-class executive who understands our culture.”
Photo: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images
