The Sharks, stacked with Springboks players, won only seven of 16 regular season matches this year before suffering a 25-point quarter-final hiding from the ACT Brumbies in Australia.

"The decision is a mutual one and both the Sharks and Du Preez have parted ways amicably," a statement said.

Du Preez has been accused of "nepotism" by the media after regularly preferring off-form son Robert junior at fly-half ahead of consistently impressive Curwin Bosch.

Robert, 25, was one of three sons of the former Springbok scrum-half who played for the Sharks this year, the others being loose forwards Daniel and Jean-Luc.

The three brothers will play for the Sale Sharks in the English Premiership in the coming season.