Should Feinberg-Mngomezulu or Pollard be Springbok flyhalf in All Blacks Eden Park Test?
Ashfak Mohamed | Published 15 minutes ago
Ruck&Maul Column
I was honestly worried about Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's injury situation earlier this season.
He just didn't seem like he could put a few matches together before breaking down. The collarbone injury sustained against the Sharks in December was the latest problem.
In fact, in the two previous games against the Sharks and Lions, Feinberg-Mngomezulu went off with concussion and hip issues, respectively.
That of course all happened after a knee injury against the All Blacks saw him ruled out of the Springbok November tour as well.
After earning the SA Rugby Young Player of the Year award, Feinberg-Mngomezulu said the 'injury layoff served me well', and that 'I don't take any opportunity for granted. I've had injuries, and understand that game-time is never given'.
He made his belated return against the Scarlets in Wales on March 22, and inspired his team to a 29-17 win.
There was a bit of 'red mist' in the 38-34 loss to Ulster in Belfast, but Feinberg-Mngomezulu was back at his irresistible best in last weekend's 34-29 win over Connacht in Cape Town.
The 23-year-old flyhalf showcased his full array of skills – pace, panache, power, little chips, dummy passes, long passes... you name it.
A sensational 25-minute hat-trick from the Bishops product set the platform for the win, although the Stormers' leaky defence nearly blew it on the day – with only an obstruction in the final move stopping Connacht from pulling off a win.
But now the big question remains: should Feinberg-Mngomezulu start ahead of Handré Pollard against the All Blacks at Eden Park on September 6?
Yes, there are lots of Tests before and afterwards, but that is surely the biggest Test of the year for Rassie Erasmus' team – at least until the South Africans square off against Ireland in Dublin on November 22.
Some fans will point to the French Test at the Stade de France in Paris on November 8 as another massive one, but for me, New Zealand at Eden Park and Ireland at the Aviva Stadium are even more important.
The All Blacks haven't lost at the famous Auckland venue in 50 matches since 1994 – when they incidentally drew 18-18 against the Boks in a 'dead-rubber Test' after already winning the series 2-0 in the first two games.
New Zealand have won 48 and drawn two over the last 30 years, with the other stalemate the 15-15 score-line against the 2017 British and Irish Lions.
So, while Erasmus experimented with combinations last year and will continue to do so in 2025 in the name of growing depth for the 2027 World Cup, the best team must play against the All Blacks at Eden Park.
Who's it going to be at flyhalf: Feinberg-Mngomezulu or Pollard?
The latter is currently finishing off his stint at Leicester Tigers in England before heading home to join the Bulls on July 1.
Pollard doesn't have to prove his worth as a player or leader to Erasmus, but he would need to display the necessary form to wear the No 10 jersey in Auckland on September 6.
There are Tests against Italy, Georgia and Australia for Erasmus to run the rule over his two main pivots – and Manie Libbok will hopefully also be back from injury by then – before the Boks travel to New Zealand. But I would go for Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and the reason is two-fold.
He has shown that he can handle the big occasion by starring against the Kiwis and Wallabies last season, and is currently in outstanding form.
His vast repertoire ties in with what assistant coach Tony Brown is trying to do with the evolution of the Bok attack heading towards 2027 – that the world champions are so much more than just a forward-based side who can only score tries off scrums and mauls.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu also needs to experience starting a Test match in New Zealand. He has shone at Twickenham as well, but the All Blacks are the ultimate test for the Bok team.
Can he go toe-to-toe with a Richie Mo'unga, Beauden Barrett or Damian McKenzie in a high-stakes Rugby Championship showdown?
Feinberg-Mngomezulu can only benefit from that situation, and it may provide Erasmus with a few answers before the 2027 World Cup.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
4 hours ago
- The South African
Gone, but not forgotten: Joost's son shares sweet tribute
The son of the late Springbok Joost van der Westhuizen paid a touching tribute to his famous father at the Loftus Versfeld stadium last weekend. Jordan, whose mother is Amor Vittone, was a teen when the rugby player died in 2017 of motor neurone disease. The now 21-year-old is a model and rising soccer star. Last weekend, Loftus was alight with excitement for the Bulls vs Sharks URC semi-final. Jordan, representing his famous father, donned a Bulls shirt in memory of his dad's home club. The young man, who bears a striking resemblance to his dad, showed off the words 'Dad, Joost' printed across the back. The sweet tribute acknowledged Joost's home at Loftus and the number 9, which was his jersey number for both the Pretoria club and the Springboks. Jordan's mom, Amor, posted the pictures on Facebook, liking comments from her followers who claimed that Joost would be 'proud' of his son. At the time of his death in 2017, Amor and Joost were separated after 15 years of marriage. The couple also have a daughter, 18-year-old Kylie. Jordan and friends at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tonight ❤️ #rugbyleague #Loftus #game #bullsrugby Posted by Amor Vittone on Saturday 7 June 2025 The son of the late Springbok and Bulls player, Jordan van der Westhuizen, is pursuing his own path in sports. But unlike rugby legend Joost, the 21-year-old has taken up soccer. Having previously played for the Valencia youth academy as a goalkeeper, Jordan later joined the UK's Reading Academy. And he's one step closer to his goal. According to Amor Vittone, Jordan is keen to one day play for his dream club, Liverpool. Apart from his love of soccer, Jordan is also a professional model, and he has signed up with the Ice Model Agency. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 .
The Herald
9 hours ago
- The Herald
Leinster are Irish Test side in disguise — White
It will be comparable to playing an Irish Test team when the Bulls go toe-to-toe with star-studded Leinster in Saturday's United Rugby Championship final, coach Jake White says. Rugby fever is building in Dublin as the finalists prepare for a bruising, no-holds-barred battle for glory at the cavernous 82,000-seat Croke Park Stadium (kickoff 6pm). Buoyed by a tenacious semifinal win over the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld, the Bulls will be going all out to lift the silverware. 'We have to travel to play an international team, and it is going to be tough,' White said. 'It is going to be like Ireland versus the Bulls and I'm not underplaying it. 'Ireland have beaten the All Blacks and many big teams. 'So, we have to work hard and get things to work in our favour in Dublin. 'We must recover well from bumps and bruises sustained in the semifinal and then we have to play very well. 'Look at what Leinster did to Glasgow in their semifinal and look at what Glasgow did to us last year. 'They did not struggle to beat Glasgow and will be on a high now going into a final at home.' White expects the final to be decided on the finest of margins and says his team must remain composed throughout. 'The wonderful thing for us is that we have a lotto ticket,' he said. 'You can't win the lotto if you don't have a ticket. We have a 50% chance of winning on Saturday. That's how sport works. 'Prayer is what we need, and I don't say this lightly. We need prayer. 'It will be different in Ireland [in] that the British and Irish Lions assemble while we are over there and the next week, they play a warm-up game. 'I'm glad because the whole of Dublin will be rugby crazy. 'Our young players will experience something unique and special. 'I will work hard for the guys to enjoy it and be ready. People travel the world to hopefully see the underdogs win. That is what happens in sport. 'It is Leinster's first appearance in a final since SA joined the URC. 'For both sides, it is a completely different challenge. 'It doesn't matter that we beat them last year in a knockout game. It is all immaterial. It is now a final. 'It doesn't matter what went before and we proved it tonight (in the semifinal) — we lost twice to the Sharks but won the playoff game. 'We know how tough finals are. We lost a home final when everyone expected us to win and away from home, we won games people expected us to lose. 'The Bulls need our senior guys who have been there and done it to impart their knowledge. 'We have Willie le Roux, who has won a World Cup, so has Marco van Staden and Canan Moodie. 'We also have guys who have played in finals. I want them to talk to each other about what works, and what doesn't.' Leinster skipper Jack Conan said his team would press the reset button after they stormed to victory over the Glasgow Warriors in last week's semifinal. 'We're not getting ahead of ourselves after the win over Glasgow and we know it is going to be a tough task against the Bulls,' he said. 'Even though it was good to beat Glasgow by a big margin, it was disappointing to concede those two tries close to the end and there are lots of things we want to get better at. 'It will all count for nothing if we don't go on and win again and show that level of dominance. 'We always knew we had it in us. It's always nice to prove some people wrong and hopefully we can go again on Saturday and silence a few more critics. 'The history and the iconic nature of that stadium aren't lost on us. We want to do right by that and be at our best again.' The Herald
TimesLIVE
10 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Markram makes key breakthrough after Australia dominate session
The dismissal of Steve Smith — a bonus wicket for Aiden Markram — helped the Proteas keep their noses in front at tea on the opening day of the World Test Championship final against Australia on Wednesday. South Africa's bowlers struggled to maintain the standards they'd set in the first session at Lord's, allowing Australia to counterattack as the sun made its first appearance on the opening day and batting, while not easy, was simpler than in the morning. Beau Webster on 55 and Alex Carey on 22 will resume after tea with Australia on 190/5. The precision of the first session was absent with the South Africans serving up a number of freebies, while the use of the decision review system left a lot to be desired. They were unlucky when Webster, on 1, was given not out by umpire Chris Gaffney, with the decision upheld after South Africa reviewed because the ball struck Webster fractionally outside the line of off stump. Let's watch the epic battle between Steve Smith and Sir Aiden Markram — Silme (@silme47) June 11, 2025 With Webster on eight, the Proteas chose not to review, thinking the ball from Rabada had struck the inside edge of the bat. It didn't and with Webster crouched in front of his stumps, TV replays showed the ball would have hit middle and off stumps, half up. That outcome came amid a tricky period for Webster who survived a surgical examination from Rabada, who darted the ball both ways, leaving the Australian all-rounder all at sea. Importantly he survived and forged a 79-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Smith that gradually turned the momentum in their team's favour. They were helped by another poor spell from Lungi Ngidi, whose rhythm was out of kilter, resulting in long hops and half-volleys being served up to the Australian pair. Having struggled in the morning session, too, when he delivered too many boundary balls, his stint in the afternoon provided no justification for his selection ahead of Dane Paterson, which Temba Bavuma had described as a tough decision. Smith's wicket was both a joy and shock for the Proteas. Markram was only brought on to bowl to allow Wiaan Mulder to switch to the Nursery End, but with the last ball of his first over he struck what could be critical blow in the match. Smith, starting to look ominous having seen off another good spell from Rabada post-lunch, drove hard at a wide ball that was looped up to him, which he edged with Jansen at slip, juggling, before extending his right arm to finally hold onto the ball. Smith made 66, but the manner in which he dragged himself off the field indicated how disappointed he was at not just his dismissal but the timing thereof. Australia scored 123 runs in 26.4 overs in the session, a scoring rate South Africa will want to slow down by removing the remaining batters in the final session.
