Sharks (rugby union)
| Full name | The Sharks | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Union | South African Rugby Union | ||
| Emblem(s) | Shark | ||
| Founded | 1890 (Natal Rugby Union) 1995 (Sharks franchise) | ||
| Location | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | ||
| Region | KwaZulu-Natal | ||
| Ground(s) | Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium (Capacity: 54,000) | ||
| CEO | Vacant | ||
| Director of Rugby | Neil Powell | ||
| Coach(es) | John Plumtree | ||
| Captain(s) | Eben Etzebeth | ||
| Most appearances | Tendai Mtawarira (159) | ||
| Top scorer | Curwin Bosch (872) | ||
| Most tries | Makazole Mapimpi (42) | ||
| League(s) | United Rugby Championship | ||
| URC: 2024–25 | 3rd overall 1st South African Shield | ||
| |||
| Official website | |||
| sharksrugby | |||
| Current season | |||
The Sharks (known as the Hollywoodbets Sharks as they are their title sponsor) is a South African professional rugby union team based in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and are eligible to compete in either the Investec Champions Cup or EPCR Challenge Cup depending on qualification. They previously competed in the Super Rugby competition until 2020. The team also competes in the Currie Cup as the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV
The Sharks reached the Super Rugby final on four occasions—once as Natal in 1996, and three times as the Sharks in 2001, 2007, and 2012—though they never won the title. To date, their best performance in the United Rugby Championship is reaching the semi-finals in the 2024-25 URC Season and winning the South African conference shield in the same season. In May 2024, they won their first major competition by winning the 2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup, becoming the first South African team to win a European trophy. The team - previously also competing as Natal, the Natal Sharks, and most recently, the Hollywoodbets Sharks XV has won nine Currie Cup titles.
The team plays its home matches at the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium in Durban.