Ox Nche says the difference inside the Sharks' camp this season is tangible, pointing to a sharper alignment between playing and management tiers as the franchise prepares for Saturday's trip to Cape Town to face the Stormers.
"I think we are in a space now where we are not just saying words, we are doing what we say," Nche said. "There's a lot of action now and more belief. It feels like we are all more aligned. I am enjoying it. There's a big difference from previous seasons."
The Sharks head into the Cape Town derby top of the URC log, having collected bonus-point wins in both their opening matches.
Defence coach Joey Mongalo has pointed to the structural overhaul in the off-season as the catalyst. The franchise has cycled through six head coaches and 30 assistant coaches over the past decade, but the appointment of Rory Duncan — formerly head coach, director of rugby and CEO at the Cheetahs — as chief of staff, combined with the installation of former Sharks assistant coach Dave Williams as general manager, has created what Mongalo describes as an upper layer of rugby-experienced administrators that allows JP Pietersen and his coaching staff to concentrate on the on-field product.
"We now have direct access to the systems and the people who are doing the recruiting," Mongalo said. "There has been a holistic look at the Sharks as a system and the main parts that were proving problematic are being addressed."
The return of experienced Sharks stalwarts Thomas du Toit and Stefan Lewies has also been cited as a cultural anchor, with both joining Phepsi Buthelezi in setting standards for younger players in the squad.
On the field, the shift is already visible. Against the Ospreys the Sharks showed improved physicality alongside the offloading game that produced several quality tries, and against Leinster — with Jacques Nienaber organising the Irish province's defence — they found a way to win through X-factor moments from Eben Etzebeth and Edwill van der Merwe when the direct forward assault was checked.
Mongalo is measured about the timeline, cautioning that the full return on the investment in culture and structure is still a few seasons away. "I really believe we will see the fruits of this labour realised in a couple of years. I think that will be when we reach our high point."