Look for the Sharks to broaden their attacking game this season with South Africa's most consistent Super rugby franchise enlisting the help of Australian rugby league great Andrew Johns to fine-tune their kicking skills.
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Johns recently completed a coaching course with the Durban-based Sharks and more are in the pipeline with both parties expressing satisfaction with the new arrangement.
Johns has had a couple of sessions with the Wallabies in the past but hopes of a long-term arrangement there fell flat in the wake of him being caught with drugs in the UK and a change of Australian team management.
The Sharks are now coached by New Zealanders John Plumtree and Chris Boyd and Johns believes they are committed to changing the often predictable attacking game of South African rugby.
"I was blown away with their set-up and how the players accepted me, considering I was from the dark side (rugby league)," Johns told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
"It was the first time I had done anything using the principles taught to me in rugby league and crossing them over to union.
"I did a bit of everything. I think kicking in the NRL is now used as a big attacking weapon and I was just going through the variety of kicks, how to disguise the kicks, how to get the opposition out of position ... other things like making sure the runners all arrive at the same time.
"It went well. I think South Africa are really trying to change the way they play and are trying to get more skill-based. The coaching staff told me their players are raised to bash and barge. If they can grasp the skills it's a scary thought because they are a giant race of people."
Plumtree was full of praise for Johns in his summary on the Sharks' website: "He is very professional and the way he's prepared training sessions and the way he's conducted them have been outstanding. It's been massive for our playmakers and it also benefits our coaching staff.
"It's been very positive, a relationship I can see continuing for a number of years."
Look for the Sharks to link up with Johns again when they tour Australia and New Zealand where they have a favourable draw, facing the Chiefs, Blues, Reds and Western Force.
Johns was regarded as a wizard in his playmaking role with the Newcastle Knights, New South Wales and Australia. No Aussie rugby sides approached him for his services but he didn't hesitate to accept the offer from the Sharks.
He is still involved with kicking coaching with NRL sides Manly, Parramatta and Newcastle.
The Sharks, who were runners-up in 2007 and finished third last season, have lost French flyhalf Frederic Michalak, Brad Barritt and BJ Botha from last year's squad.
But they are boosted by the return of skipper John Smit after he finished his short stint with French club Clermont.
