Gold laments 'absurd' Super Rugby format
The Durban-based team were drawn in the Africa Two Conference, which will see them play all the New Zealand and not the Australian teams in the league phase.
Considering the strength of the New Zealand teams last season, the Sharks could be in for a tough time.
"The only thing I will say about it is that when you play sports at the highest level, all you really want is a level playing field and this competition does not provide you with that," said Gold
"It is a little bit absurd, but in saying that it is what it is and there are some exciting things."
The Sharks will also face a tough travelling schedule midway through the competition which will see them travel to New Zealand to face the Blues, Highlanders and Chiefs before returning to Durban to face to face the Hurricanes. They will then get on the plane again to go to Argentina to face the Jaguares. They will also not have a bye between those five tough matches.
"I don't think you understand the toll it has on the bodies when you fly east to west, recover from jetlag, play a game and then fly east to west again for another game. 
"We have to plan for that and we are going to plan for that. It's a big challenge, but next year will be a different kettle of fish.
"Next year we will play the Australian group and we will have eight games at home and seven games away – next year we will be sitting where the other guys are," Gold added.
The Jaguares and Japan's Sunwolves are both making their debuts in Super Rugby this year, while South Africa's Southern Kings are returning after a three-year absence.
Gold believes the Argentinians have enough firepower to challenge for the title this year.
"The Japanese team is going to be slightly different because it is not going to be their full national team," said Gold.
"The Argentinian team I think will have about 12 guys who played in the World Cup. They are going to be ferocious. That is going to be a proper rugby team.
"They are well-drilled and Augustin Creevy is a fantastic captain and they got a good coaching staff. They are going to be formidable. They are going to shock some people and I think they are going to be potential contenders.
"I'm not sure the Sunwolves are going to be that formidable at this moment in time, only because of the lateness of the planning, but we will see how the competition progress."
The Sharks will begin their Super Rugby campaign against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabth on February 27.
By Warren Fortune
@FortuneWarren
@rugby365com
