‘It’s not Joey vs Jacques, godfather of defence’

Sharks defence coach Joey Mongalo downplayed comparisons between himself and Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber ahead of their United Rugby Championship clash at Kings Park on Saturday. The Sharks enter the match following a 41-24 victory over the Ospreys, while defending champions Leinster travel to Durban after a narrow 27-26 loss to the Lions.

Mongalo praised Nienaber as a pioneer of line-speed defence and noted that both squads utilize similar defensive structures. Although the Sharks conceded four tries in their opening fixture, Mongalo affirmed confidence in their defensive system while emphasizing the need to minimize errors against Leinster's ruck speed and counter-rucking capabilities.