Bok coach unfazed by Sacha's 1/5 against Georgia
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he was not too concerned about flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotting just one of his five kicks against Georgia on Saturday.
He noted that other Springboks made more mistakes, while Feinberg-Mngomezulu picked up a hip pointer injury in the warm-up. Besides, he is younger than the other flyhalves, may not be his first-choice No 10, and still has plenty to learn.
Sacha 20% against Georgia
Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23, missed his first three conversions during the Springboks' 55–10 demolition of Georgia in Mbombela. He slotted his next one and then missed his last before being substituted by Handré Pollard early in the second half.
The experienced ace nailed all four of his conversions and even scored a try in the 36 minutes he was on the field, adding 13 points to the scoreboard himself.
It followed Manie Libbok missing his first two conversions against Italy last week, though he rallied well to slot the next five.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu had a far better kicking record than his Stormers teamate, Libbok, in this past season's United Rugby Championship. He finished with a 85.7% kicking success compared to his senior's 72.6%. But Erasmus said goal-kicking was not the be-all and end-all of a flyhalf in his system.
The Springbok coach said Feinberg-Mngomezulu is 'not necessarily the first-choice 10' in the set-up.
'We've got Manie, who's on song and when Handré came on you saw he is solid in that,' Erasmus said. 'If you just look at Sacha's goal-kicking, the first [three] he missed, I think after that he did pretty well.'
Coaches weren't sure whether to play him after hip pointer
The coach said Feinberg-Mngomezulu suffered a hip pointer in the warm-up to the game and coaches were not sure if they should still play him.
'But he wanted to play,' Erasmus said. 'I don't know if that's an excuse for the way he kicked at poles. But he definitely ran it out. We like flyhalves who try things on the field, not just to play in their box and be safe.
'He was settling, he wasn't one of the guys who made the most errors.'
He said there were 'lots of guys' who made errors because of Georgia's disruptive game play, which Erasmus commended.
'So no, I am not frustrated with Sacha. It is only his second start this year. Again, he is young compared to our other flyhalves.'
Libbok and Pollard are five and eight years his senior, respectively. He has nine Test caps compared to their 20 and 81.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
12 minutes ago
- The South African
Springboks: The nine players released, and why!
Ahead of the Springboks' first two Tests in the Rugby Championship, Rassie Erasmus has trimmed the squad from 46 players in the wider group to a more deliberate 36-man squad that will come into contention against Australia. Here we take a look at the nine players who have been released on 'standby', and the reasons why. Lukhanyo Am: The 31-year-old missed the July internationals due to an injury, and needs to get back to fitness and form as the Springboks currently know what they have in Jesse Kriel and Canan Moodie. Faf de Klerk: It does increasingly seem as if De Klerk has begun to hand over the baton to younger scrumhalves such as Grant Williams and Morne van den Berg, but don't bet against the double World Cup winner having a role to play later in the Rugby Championship. Makazole Mapimpi: The third – but not final – World Cup stalwart to miss out on the Springboks' latest selection. Considering he will soon turn 35, it does stand to reason that the coaches are spending more time getting a closer look at the likes of Edwill van der Merwe and Ethan Hooker. Salmaan Moerat: The Springboks are blessed with depth at lock, and in a trimmed squad, it's no huge surprise that space has just run out for Moerat. Evan Roos: The curious case of Evan Roos continues at national level. Despite a number of unavailable players at No 8, it seems like Cobus Wiese has now even jumped ahead of the Stormers star in the pecking order. Neethling Fouche: It's a pity to see the incredibly likeable Fouche fall out of the mix, but with Vincent Koch, Wilco Louw and exciting newcomer Asenathi Ntlabakanye all covering tighthead, his omission doesn't come as a major shock. Vincent Tshituka: It is a bit of a surprise that Tshituka has missed out after largely impressing at the start of the season, but it may be that Jean-Luc du Preez is seen to be deserving of a chance to back up first-choice star Pieter-Steph du Toit. Thomas du Toit: The burly prop is undergoing a compulsory two-week rest period in line with English Premiership protocols. Jasper Wiese: The World Cup-winning No 8 is serving a four-match suspension. In total, Erasmus' squad includes 20 forwards and 17 backline players. The Springboks will face the Wallabies in Johannesburg on Saturday 16 August, and again a week later in Cape Town on 23 August. Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls). Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (Hanazono Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers). Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Rassie Erasmus picks 37 Springboks for Australia Tests, invites 3 Junior Boks
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has named 37 players to take on Australia in the national team's first two Rugby Championship matches. According to The Citizen, these take place at Ellis Park on August 16 and Cape Town Stadium on August 23. Erasmus said before the 55–10 win over Georgia last weekend that they would select a more tried-and-tested squad to face Australia. This follows experimentation in the first four games of the season, during which seven players also made their debuts. The Bok coach has also invited three young guns – Bathobele Hlekani, Cheswill Jooste and Haashim Pead – who were members of the triumphant Junior Springbok World Rugby U20 Championship squad, to train with the group during a two-week conditioning camp in Johannesburg starting on Sunday. Rassie on selections The five players who earned their first Springbok Test caps in July are Ethan Hooker (utility back), Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Boan Venter (both props), Marnus van der Merwe (hooker) and Cobus Wiese (utility forward). Meanwhile, Bath prop Thomas du Toit has been granted a compulsory two-week rest as agreed with the Premiership, although he is eligible to be called up at any stage should the need arise. No 8 Jasper Wiese is currently serving a four-week suspension, ruling him out of this squad. Several players have been released to their franchises to build up game time in the Currie Cup, although a few of them have been placed on standby for the Wallaby Tests. The standby players are Lukhanyo Am (centre), who missed the July Tests due to a knee niggle, Faf de Klerk (scrumhalf), Makazole Mapimpi (wing), Salmaan Moerat (lock), Evan Roos (No 8), Neethling Fouche (prop) and Vincent Tshituka (flanker). 'It's always challenging to reduce the squad, especially given how the expanded group of players put up their hands during the Incoming Series, but we always said we would select a smaller, more manageable squad,' said Erasmus. 'This group includes several experienced players and a few younger guys who grabbed their chances in the last few Tests, so we are pleased with this squad for the first two matches. We probably have three players who can cover each position, which is important in this competition.' Springboks build squad depth 'One of our key pillars as a team is to build squad depth, and there is no better way to see what some of the younger players are capable of than to expose them to some of the top teams in the world.' On the young guns invited to train with the squad, Erasmus said: 'We are tremendously proud of the Junior Springboks… so we opted to invite three of them to join us to expose them to our structures and the standards required at top international level. We believe this camp will benefit them significantly.' Springbok squad to face Australia Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls). Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handre Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers).
The Herald
an hour ago
- The Herald
Erasmus names experience and young blood in Bok squad for Australia Tests
'Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina are all ranked in the top seven in the world and if one considers we won the Rugby Championship for the first time since 2019 last year, it is clear this will be a completely different kettle of fish. 'All three teams have beaten us in the last few years and they play a different style of rugby to the other opposition we have faced thus far, but we are pleased with the foundation we laid in the last few weeks and we know exactly what areas of our game we need to work on.' Erasmus will announce his squad for the two-match tour to New Zealand in September before making the journey Down Under, where they will face their arch-rivals at Eden Park in Auckland on September 6, and the Sky Stadium in Wellington on September 13. The Boks wrap up their campaign with Tests against Argentina in Durban on September 27 and in London on October 4. Springbok squad Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls) Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), André Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handré Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers) SA Rugby media
