Eben Etzebeth and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Picture: Instagram
Stepping into the workplace as the youngest employee is never an easy task, this becomes especially intimidating when your colleagues happen to be two-time Rugby World Cup winners.
As exciting as it may be, this was the reality for 22-year-old Stormers rugby player Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu after 2024 presented him with a lifelong childhood dream of pulling the iconic green and gold jersey over his head and officially becoming a Springbok.
Praised for his on-field composure and maturity, the 2023 under 21 Currie Cup winner knows all about taking the lead and delegating tasks when it comes to the gameplan in a match. Not only that, but his capabilities have also seen him lead the Junior Springboks at the under 20 World Cup on various occasions.
But when it came to doing the same in the senior set-up which boasts several big names like Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and Cheslin Kolbe and others, Sacha says that this has become an intimidating task – especially since this his role as a flyhalf required him to instruct his older teammates what to do.
In a recent interview on the Behind the Ruck podcast, Sacha reflected on what his earlier days were like in the Springbok camp.
He explained: “What was tricky for me was trying to pursue the number 10 jersey, but obviously with the number 10, you need a certain level of authority to get what you want. So, the first couple of weeks I didn’t say anything.
He later added that he earned more respect the more he improved in his role at training.
“I could then tell people where to be or why to be there without having to explain myself.”
When hosts and former Springboks, Rudy Paige and Juan de Jongh asked whether there was ever a moment where Sacha was reprimanded by an older teammate, he jokingly reflected on a moment where he had a stern warning from Eben Etzebeth after putting him in a vulnerable position during training ahead of the Australia test in Brisbane.
“At training, when you go up for a highball, people cannot compete otherwise you can get injured. So, no one competed, and I said I’m going to claim this ball. So, I jumped up and I caught it – but in a real game I would’ve gotten smoked.
“Eben Etzebeth was in front of me, so I tried to beat him with my feet, go past him, and place the ball on the floor. As I place it, he says: ‘Do that again, and I’ll break you.’”
Despite the hilarious incident the pair remain great teammates and Sacha has gone on to not only win the favour of his teammates, but also that of the rugby world, with retired New Zealand centre Sonny Bill Williams expressing how impressed he was by the youngster.
I actually remember this training session
❤️ I’m gonna have to ask the bro for an updated pic next week in Perth 🤲🏾 https://t.co/ntkxyOMvoj— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) August 10, 2024
— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) August 18, 2024
His performances in the Rugby Championship have seen him earn a nomination for Breakthrough player of the Year ahead of this year’s World Rugby Awards ceremony. The last time a South African won the award was in 2018, when a then exciting Aphiwe Dyanti owned the global stage.
Also see: Proud father, Nick Feinberg celebrates Sacha’s official Springbok capping ceremony
