Head Coach Dai Flanagan has urged his young Dragons to relish the opportunity to face the Springbok stars when the Men of Gwent face Hollywoodbets Sharks this Saturday evening (kick-off 5.05pm UK time).
The Sharks have injected a number of Rugby World Cup winning Springboks back into the fold ahead of the BKT United Rugby Championship clash at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
Head coach John Plumtree has welcomed back lock Eben Etzebeth, scrum half Jaden Hendrikse and wing Makazole Mapimpi into the starting line-up alongside Lukhanyo Am who takes on the captaincy duties.
International team-mates Ox Nche and Grant Williams add firepower off the bench.
“I love it. We're still a young team and it’s a great opportunity,” said Flanagan.
“Look at Will Reed, Aneurin Owen, Ewan Rosser making his debut last week, and Rio Dyer.
“The chance for our boys to play against them is superb.
“We expected them to be back because when you're desperate for a win you need your best players to play. They are their best players, so we prepare him for them to be on the field.
“Lukhanyo Am is the best centre in the world in his prime. Makazole Mapimpi on the wing, best wing in the world when he's playing well. Eben Etzebeth best second row in the world.
“How good is this as an opportunity for our boys to have a go to them?
“This kind of game brings a nervous excitement,” he added. “The fear of what we are going against, but then the excitement of showing what we can do.
“You can sense that in the group when we met on Monday and trained. They know we are in for a tough task, but it’s one we are really looking forward to.”
Flanagan has also spoken about how he expects Sharks to continue to adopt a new style of play that will see them play expansively on home soil in Durban.
He said: “When I was a youngster watching the Sharks, they were expensive. They threw the ball around and then over time they become a very dominant set piece team.
“It looks to me, with how they’ve recruited and their style of play, they want to go back to that expensive style of rugby and that takes time.
“You’ve got to change the DNA of the club and that's the task that John Plumtree got there.
“They're probably a catch of the ball away from scoring multiple tries against the Ospreys in London. We need to make sure they are a catch of the ball away against us this weekend.
“Pressure builds and we've just experienced that. They will be feeling it and they will want to change it.”
We expected them to be back because when you're desperate for a win you need your best players to play... They are their best players, so we prepare him for them to be on the field...
