MARK KEOHANE | Feinberg-Mngomezulu just has it, and thank the gods South Africa has him

Sit back and be thankful that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is South African and plays for the Springboks. Be awed by what he does. Recognise the privilege it is to watch a wizard at work and a genius at play.

The greatest players, regardless of the sporting code, are described as playing the game in slow motion. The context is that while everything is happening at a frantic pace and big decisions must be made within a fraction of a second, the very best have the mental capacity to bring the action down to slow motion and then determine their next movement, as if they are doing so standing still.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu mentally plays rugby in super slow motion. He is that good.

He played in a winning Vodacom United Rugby Championship final for the Stormers before he had turned 21 and he had won the URC as a player two seasons before he led Western Province to the under-21 title.

A product of Bishops, he has captained every provincial and national team at age group level and is a natural leader. 

He does everything and what he doesn’t yet do, will come with experience. Individually there is nothing he can’t do, but the on-field experience I am talking about is game management, knowing when to play in second gear and when to put his engine into overdrive; knowing when to avoid contact and knowing that there will be occasions when his individualism will profit from playing off a teammate and not feeling he needs to make the play straight up.

This all comes with more Test matches and more URC and Champions Cup exposure.

What he can do is remarkable, and the remarkable is not in reference to his age. He just has it, is comfortable to kick off both feet, accelerate to break and to swerve. He has a pass that is as sweet delivered off either hand, outside, inside or thrown in reverse.

He is an 80 percent goal kicker with a sense of occasion when it comes to the value of the drop goal. He reads the game so well and his gift will at times seem like a curse because he may be three steps ahead, in his thinking, of a teammate.

He will always miss a kick you think he should get or err on the side of risk because instinctively he is never going to be conservative. He must never lose that spontaneous sizzle because it comes packaged with his self-belief.

And for those who ask about his defence. He loves to tackle, perhaps too much for his Stormers coach John Dobson’s blood pressure. Where he will improve is in managing defensive structures and defensive patterns. That remains a work in progress.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu announced himself to the Test arena against Wales at Wembley less than a year ago, was electric against the Wallabies in Australia and played like a 100-Test veteran when starting for the Springboks in the 31-27 win against the All Blacks at Ellis Park last year.

Anyone who was fortunate to see his performance live against Benetton at the DHL Stadium a week ago will know what I am talking about. Television cameras follow the ball, but when you watch a game live, you don't watch the ball-watch. As a player, Sacha FM, most certainly does not ball-watch.

He knows space, he understands space and he gets the power of playing width early when it is on, but, crucially as a No 10 and the general on the field, he has a boot as good as any to have played the game, in kicking for field position and playing those territory percentages.

The iconic All Blacks No 10, two-time World Cup winner and 112-Test standout Dan Carter, at his peak, unlocked defences with a casual ease. Feinberg-Mngomezulu is of a similar ilk. He never looks rushed and his effectiveness is such that in five starts at No 10 for the Stormers their points production, as a team, was up by over 50 percent.

Cherish him and thank the rugby gods that he was born, raised and lives in South Africa. 

Allow yourself to get excited about the way he plays.

Acknowledge genius when it arrives. And just love the rugby gift that is tuning into Sacha FM on Saturdays.