The Springboks’ find of the season - utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu - will start at flyhalf for the national side in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship opener against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday morning (SA time).
Feinberg-Mngomezulu has arguably been the player who has made the most impact in the four tests thus far, making his debut against Wales at Twickenham and kicking a long range penalty before a substitute performance against Ireland at Loftus.
He was then thrown in at the deep end against Ireland in Durban when Willie le Roux went off with concussion after only two minutes and played a full 78 minutes at fullback. Despite a shaky start, Feinberg-Mngomezulu was class in the second half and followed that up with an equally impressive second half cameo against Portugal in Bloemfontein.
Now, with the Rugby Championship beckoning, and the Boks wanting to get a good start away from home in a place they have traditionally struggled to win, Feinberg-Mngomezulu gets the nod ahead of Handre Pollard at flyhalf, strengthening the belief that he has surpassed Manie Libbok in the squad as the second choice flyhalf.
Given the opportunity to shine on a fast pitch against a side that traditionally wants to move the ball, Feinberg-Mngomezulu will have the ideal chance to stamp a claim not only for the rest of the season, but also an early claim for the World Cup in 2027.
He appears in a backline that is loaded with experience, with no less than five double World Cup winners, and Kurt-Lee Arendse with a World Cup winners medal as well.
Cobus Reinach, who has impressed under Tony Brown’s new attacking regime, will partner Feinberg-Mngomezulu at halfback with the rest of the backline a very familiar look.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s elevation is the big talking point in the side, although there will be a few raised eyebrows at the return of Malcolm Marx a week earlier than expected after a fractured tibia to be included on the bench.
Elrigh Louw, as expected, gets his chance to start at eight, as Rassie Erasmus explained before he went on tour. Louw, who made an impression against Portugal, will be given the opportunity to stake a claim at eight, especially since the retirement of Duane Vermeulen. Jasper Wiese’s unavailability due to a six match ban and now news that Evan Roos’ has undergone a shoulder operation will leave him with the perfect chance to stake his claim for a long term place in the side.
Louw forms part of a very physical loose trio alongside captain Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit, while RG Snyman grabs the five jersey in the absence of Franco Mostert. The rest of the pack has a menacing look about it with Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi and Ox Nche ready to take on the new scrum laws.
Marx’s return a week early is certainly something to celebrate, and it is hoped that he will have a long run after some horrific injuries over the past year but it is still a surprise that he has been included given the initial diagnosis that he would be back next week and not as early as this.
The Boks have a six-two split on the bench with the unfamiliar face of Handre Pollard alongside Grant Williams at the back, while up front Marx’s bench partners of Gerhard Steenekamp and Vincent Koch give the Boks a massive platform to scrum from in the second half, while three loose forwards in Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden and Kwagga Smith add an interesting dynamic to the breakdown battle as all three have big workrates that can become handy late in the game.
Springbok team to face Australia in Brisbane:
15 – Willie le Roux
14 – Cheslin Kolbe
13 – Jesse Kriel
12 – Damian de Allende
11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse
10 – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9 – Cobus Reinach
8 – Elrigh Louw
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain)
5 – RG Snyman
4 – Eben Etzebeth
3 – Frans Malherbe
2 – Bongi Mbonambi
1 – Ox Nche
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx
17 – Gerhard Steenekamp
18 – Vincent Koch
19 – Ben-Jason Dixon
20 – Marco van Staden
21 – Kwagga Smith
22 – Grant Williams
23 – Handré Pollard