OPINION: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s promotion and a new forward dynamic point to more attacking approach in the Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies.
The management of Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been a talking point since the youngster was introduced to the Bok set-up on the 2022 tour to Europe.
When Feinberg-Mngomezulu returned to the Bok squad in June 2024, Rassie Erasmus highlighted the 22-year-old’s skill set, as well as the player’s ability to cover flyhalf, inside centre fullback.
At the time, the coach said that the precocious player would be eased into the Test arena, and serve as a utility player from the bench.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu went on to feature in all four Tests, slotting in at flyhalf at Twickenham, Loftus Versfeld and the Free State Stadium, and at fullback in the second Test against Ireland at Kings Park.
Having analysed those performances in the lead-up to the Rugby Championship, Erasmus has decided that he’s seen enough, and that the time is right for Feinberg-Mngomezulu to play a more pivotal role.
On Tuesday, the Bok coach unveiled the bold selection from the team’s base in Brisbane, and confirmed that veteran flyhalf Handré Pollard had dropped to the bench.
Erasmus confirmed that Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s selection has been made with the future in mind, but it may well signal a change in the current pecking order.
The Boks may revert to Pollard for the must-win series against the All Blacks in South Africa, but it’s fair to say that – if fit – both Pollard and Feinberg-Mngomezulu will to be in the matchday 23 for the Tests in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Goal-kicking may well be the reason why Manie Libbok has fallen out of favour.
Libbok started once against Portugal this past July, where he missed three of his five attempts at goal.
Meanwhile, Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotted eight from eight over the course of four Tests.
In the short term, this flyhalf selection is a bold call that highlights the Boks’ attacking intent.
In the past, the Boks have struggled to match the Wallabies for tempo at what many recognise as the fastest track in the game.
Now the Boks have the means to play the Wallabies at their own game.
Attack coach Tony Brown has been tasked with up-skilling the players over the past few months.
While it’s still early days, there have been signs of progress in recent matches.
Will the Boks accelerate their attacking plans on the two-match tour to Australia?
The selections for the Test in Brisbane provide an answer.
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Last year, Jacques Nienaber and Erasmus replaced Cobus Reinach and Libbok with the more tactically astute combination of Faf de Klerk and Pollard ahead of the World Cup Final against New Zealand. The decision paid off in what was a gruelling arm-wrestle.
Now Erasmus appears to be favouring other horses for a particular course.
De Klerk is not available due to injury, but the selection of Reinach and a like-for-like replacement in Grant Williams suggests that speed will be at the heart of the Bok game plan.
While the pace of Reinach and Williams will be an asset if the game opens up, the Bok coaches will be more concerned with how quickly these scrumhalves get to the ruck and recycle possession.
Erasmus has made several other important selections to amplify that Bok backline – and give Feinberg-Mngomezulu slightly more time to operate.
Pieter-Steph du Toit has recovered from injury and will start in what is a well-balanced back row.
Du Toit will partner with another vastly experienced flank in Siya Kolisi, as well as the international rookie Elrigh Louw.
The latter has the potential to fill the physical void left by the now-retired Duane Vermeulen and Jasper Wiese (who is currently serving a six-game suspension).
Evan Roos started at No.8 against Wales and Portugal, while Kwagga Smith was deployed at the back of the scrum in the Tests against Ireland.
While both contributed in other areas, the Boks lacked the impetus at the gainline – and the security at the kick-offs – that Vermeulen and Wiese typically provide.
Louw’s ball-carrying will be an asset to the Boks this Saturday, but he also can offload once breaching the gainline.
The Boks have done well to pay Australia the necessary respect in the build-up – or at the very least, acknowledge South Africa’s poor record in this part of the world.
And yet, they must to fancy their chances, given the present state of the Australian game.
The Wallabies have suffered a series of injury setbacks, and are looking especially thin in the back row.
As a result, coach Joe Schmidt will have to field an uncapped player – possibly Luke Reimer – at openside flank.
The Boks should target the gainline and breakdowns, and look to exploit a perceived weakness.
By the second half, Malcolm Marx, Smith and Marco van Staden will have taken the field.
They will attempt to win the race to the breakdowns, and guarantee a steady supply of quick ball.
On defence, these turnover specialists could generate a series of counter-attacking chances.
The Boks possess a couple of ruthless finishers out wide in Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
The inclusion of Du Toit and Marx is somewhat surprising, given that Erasmus initially stated that the injured pair might only be available for the second match in Perth.
Had Du Toit missed out, BJ Dixon – who impressed the coaches with his physicality and workrate in the matches against Wales and Portugal – would have started at No.7 in a less experienced back row.
It will be interesting to see where Dixon gets his chance when he comes off the bench.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Erasmus gave the impression that he decision is yet to be made, and that the Boks are still waiting to hear whether RG Snyman will bounce back from a niggle or Ruan Nortje will start at No.5.
Depending on how the game unfolds, Dixon may replace one of the starting locks, or slot in at blindside flank, with Du Toit moving to the second row.
The selections point towards an all-court assault, but the Boks may harness their scrum and line-out strengths (which were largely under-utilised against an admittedly impressive Irish pack) against a weakened Wallabies side.
Perhaps this is the biggest sign of progress.
The Boks have arrived in Australia with more than one mode of attack and are, as a result, far less predictable than before.
Indeed. the recent selections are bound to keep the Wallabies brains trust guessing in the lead-up to match day.
@rugby365com
* Picture credit: @Springboks
