Recognising burgeoning talent

AWARDS: FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU COULD CAP A BREAKTHROUGH YEAR IN MONACO

- Ross Roche

Springbok and Stormers utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu received the biggest nod in recognition of his burgeoning talent when he was named as one of the nominees for World Rugby's Breakthrough Player-of-the-Year award earlier this week.

It has been a whirlwind couple of years for Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who made his Stormers debut in 2022 as a 20-year-old and impressed the Bok management, enough to see him going on tour at the end of that year and featuring for the South African A team.

The former Junior Bok captain continued putting in solid performances with his franchise, but with 2023 being a World Cup year, he didn't get a look in with the Springboks, as coach Rassie Erasmus backed the players that had done the hard yards during the World Cup cycle.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu, however, couldn't be ignored for long, and in March 2024 was brought into the Bok alignment camps, followed by his selection for their opening match of the season against Wales at Twickenham, which was outside of the Test window.