‘The noise around Sacha is concerning,’ says Stormers’ John Dobson

Talented rising star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is currently enduring the toughest spell of his budding career, and Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson believes he has to be protected at all costs.

The 24-year-old flyhalf has enjoyed a stunning few years since making his professional debut for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship (URC) back in 2022.

He has won the URC, made his Springbok debut, won back-to-back Rugby Championships, been nominated in the World Breakthrough Player of the Year category, won the SA URC Player of the Year award and was named best player in the world by well regarded rugby website RugbyPass last year.

Concerning noise

Despite his amazing success at such a young age, he is now receiving heavy criticism for some subpar performances for the Stormers, and Dobson admitted that the noise around him was a concern, ahead of their URC derby against the Bulls at Loftus this coming weekend.

“The noise around Sacha is a concern. He is a youngster, and there is so much emotion in the sport,” explained Dobson.

“Sacha was being hero-worshipped a few months back, but anyone now can say what they think and be published (on social media), and the stuff gets around, never mind what respected journalists say.

“There are a lot of comments about him, and he would have to be extremely tough for it not to affect him. He is a youngster with a massive future and will be a great for South African rugby.

“I just cannot understand how there can possibly be vitriol towards a guy who has such X-factor and so much promise for the Stormers and Springboks. You don’t become the world’s best game-managing flyhalf in your first couple of years. It will come, but he has to serve the hours. He will definitely get there.”

Brown on Sacha

At a Springbok media day last week, Bok attack coach Tony Brown highlighted Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s tendency to try take everything on himself, and said he would be better served trusting in the teammates around him, which Dobson said they take note of.

“We listen to what a guy like Tony says. But it is a very different environment at the Stormers, where he has been the captain and is desperate for us to win, to the environment at the national team where there are huge resources on and off the field,” said Dobson.

“You have a massive pack of forwards who can bail you out, and you have guys with hundreds of caps of experience around you. So Tony is dead right in that Sacha is maybe trying to do too much, but we know where it is coming from. He is just desperate for the Stormers to win.

“We would rather have that than somebody who is disinvested or trying to look after his body. We just have to coach better to make sure he takes those right options.”

Feinberg-Mngomezulu and the Stormers will be looking to break a three match losing run against an in-form Bulls team in what should be a blockbuster North-South derby on Saturday.