'What a privilege for our youngsters to play Leinster,' says Sharks defence coach

The Irish giants are in town this week with a squad featuring a mixture of youth and experience, but when they don that Leinster shirt, the aura glows.

"What a privilege for our youngsters to go up against that, to test themselves against the very best," Mongalo told Rugby Pass this week.

"But also the beautiful thing about youth is that they can almost be oblivious or ignorant to what's coming, you know? So they just wanna run out there and test themselves against whatever that is.

"So I think Scott [Mathie] has really prepared them with a clear, simplistic message of what's required, and hopefully that youthful exuberance just goes out there and surprises all of us. You know, they can even surprise themselves with what they bring on Saturday."

While the Sharks have pillars of Springboks in the run-on XV in Andre Esterhuizen, Edwill van der Merwe and Thomas du Toit - to name a few - they are among plenty of inexperience. Young upstarts Luan Giliomee, Vusi Moyo and Esethu Mnebelele are all just 20 years old.

And there is another thread for Mongalo. This week, he is up against Leinster defensive maestro Jacques Nienaber, who he has always looked up to.

"I was a youngster at the Lions, starting to coach in 2011, and Jacques was already then coaching the Stormers, I think it was at the time, so I've been admiring him, he revealed

"It's not a Joey-Jacques thing. I think it's more about two similar systems. Because to coach a line-speed defence is quite an art. Jacques has mastered it with Leinster, through the Springboks. He's won a World Cup. He's been in a Champions Cup final. He's won the URC.

"Leinster is a team who are well-oiled. They are the current champions. I mean, if you give them opportunities, they'll take them."

READ MORE: Six returning Springboks bolster Sharks' matchday 23 for Leinster clash