The Sharks have unveiled their rebranding ahead of the 2026/27 United Rugby Championship.
The rebranding not only includes the introduction of two fresh logos but also a renaming, with the Durban team now officially becoming ‘Sharks Rugby Club’.
Sharks’ rebranding
“For 30 years, generations of players have worn the Black and White with pride, and generations of supporters have built memories around a badge that came to represent far more than a rugby team. Today, the Sharks begin the next chapter of that story,” a statement from the Durban-based club read.
“This evolution does not replace that history; it builds on it. It is a bold expression of the same identity that has defined the Sharks for three decades, designed to carry the club confidently into its next era.”
The rebranding will see the Sharks use two logos going forward: one featuring the letters ‘SRC’ and a new-look Shark that replaces the previous one, where the animal was running with a rugby ball.
“Our badge has evolved. Our core never will,” said Shaun Bryans, chief executive officer of the Sharks Rugby Club.
“Innovation has always been part of who we are. In 1996, this club had the courage to redefine itself as the Sharks and helped shape the modern era of South African rugby. We embraced transformation, pioneered new ways of engaging supporters and consistently chose to lead rather than follow. This evolution is not a departure from that tradition; it is its continuation.”
Rugby’s great innovators
The Sharks leadership believes it has a responsibility to remain relevant and competitive in the decades ahead and draws inspiration from the courage shown by Brian van Zyl and the Natal Rugby Union leadership in 1996, when they transformed Natal Rugby into the Sharks.
“This is not change for change’s sake,” added Bryans.
“It is a deliberate statement of ambition. We have taken a long-term view of where this club needs to be – on the field, commercially and culturally – and we believe we have a responsibility to make the decisions that will get us there.
“With JP Pietersen leading our coaching structures, a Sharks man who understands exactly what this badge represents, we have alignment throughout the organisation behind a shared vision for the future. That is what excellence demands, and it is what our supporters deserve.”
The club states that the rebranding stays true to its reputation “as one of rugby’s great innovators” but adds that the decision to evolve is about more than identity.
“Professional sport has changed dramatically over the past three decades, and the world’s leading clubs increasingly succeed because they combine excellence on the field with strength off it. Building larger fan communities, attracting commercial partners and creating world-class supporter experiences are now fundamental to sustaining long-term sporting success,” the statement added.
Success in the modern era
“Success today depends on far more than winning matches,” said Michael Leslie, Chief Growth Officer of the Sharks.
“The strongest clubs in world sport are also the strongest brands. Sustained investment in elite performance requires sustained commercial growth. Every new supporter we inspire, every meaningful partnership we build and every new revenue stream we create gives us greater ability to invest where it matters most – our players, our pathways, our facilities and the future of rugby in KwaZulu-Natal.
“The greatest threat to a proud club is not evolution. It is standing still while the world changes around it.”