Feinberg-Mngomezulu gets his big Bok chance, but ‘it’s not a changing of the guard’

Rising Springbok star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will get a chance to show what he can do on the biggest stage when he makes his first start in the team’s Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday (6.45am SA time).

After just four appearances off the bench for the Boks this season, Feinberg-Mngomezulu gets his chance to shine from the start with him named at flyhalf for this weekend’s match. He has also played fullback for the Boks.

‘Big opportunity’

The Stormers star will have a wealth of experience around him, with double World Cup winners Cobus Reinach at scrumhalf and Damian de Allende at inside centre on either side of him, while Handre Pollard will provide cover from the bench.

“It is a big opportunity for him. Like it is for Elrigh (Louw, who has been named to start at No 8) and Grant (Williams) playing off the bench, and a few others,” said Bok boss Rassie Erasmus on Tuesday when he named his team for the match.

“RG (Snyman) though has a bit of an injury concern so Ruan (Nortje) is on standby (to play No 5 lock),” added the coach.

“After a World Cup (in 2023) you are going to find guys knocking on the door, and to have a guy like Handre, with more than 70 caps, on the bench is very nice security.

“With Damian Willemse still out, we have given Jordan Hendrikse a chance and Manie (Libbok) has had a run, so we are building some nice depth there at 10. It is an exciting opportunity for him and hopefully the forwards will give him a platform to have a smooth game, but it will be tough.”

Changing of guard

Erasmus was asked if the rise of Feinberg-Mngomezulu could be seen as a changing of the guard and if he would be the main flyhalf for the Boks heading towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, but the coach said that the players still had to earn their stripes before being considered.

“Internally we know we can’t look too far ahead, but we also can’t just focus on the present. As you can see in the squad, I think there are about nine guys who weren’t regulars prior to the World Cup last year, who we are rotating in and out,” explained Erasmus.

“So I wouldn’t say this is a changing of the guard. It is about giving guys opportunities whilst guys like Handre and Manie can help nurture these guys at Test match level. It is his (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) fifth cap.

“Before the 2019 World Cup we said we didn’t want to go to the World Cup with a guy under eight or nine caps. It’s also been well documented that a team has never won the World Cup with a flyhalf under 24 years old. I think Johnny Wilkinson was the youngest.”

Erasmus continued: “So rather blood a guy now … get him some nice experience, especially with guys like Damian (de Allende) on his outside.

“But it is also the same for Elrigh at eight, also playing in his fifth Test match. So it isn’t a changing of the guard. It is a squad of 45 guys trying to win each Test match.

“Certainly, with a hat on for the future. But they have to earn their stripes before their can be a changing of the guard.”