Best breakthrough player? Throwback of schoolboy Sacha [photos]

Springbok newbie Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is in the running to win World Rugby’s Best Breakthrough Player after a phenomenal appearance in the 2024 season.

The awards take place on Sunday, 24 November, in Monaco.

The 22-year-old joins other Boks, Cheslin Kolbe, Eben Etzebeth, and Pieter-Steph du Toit, who are nominated in the Player of the Year category.

WILL SACHA FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU WIN THE BREAKTRHOUGH PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD?

Earlier this week, World Rugby announced that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was a nominee for the Breakthrough Player of The Year award.

Sacha – who also plays for the Stormers – was nominated amongst fellow players like Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England), Jamie Osborne (Ireland), and Wallace Sititi (New Zealand). 

The young star – hailed as a future Springboks captain – made his debut in green and gold in June. After eight test match appearances, Sacha was ruled out from playing for the rest of the year over a knee injury. He is now working on his recovery.

FROM SCHOOLBOY RUGBY STAR TO SPRINGBOK

Like others before him, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is one of many Springboks who emerged from the Bishops’ Diocesan College in Cape Town.

During this time, the passionate young player was influenced by the school’s “rugby-dominant culture.”

Sacha then played for Western Cape’s Stormers. He also captained the Junior Boks before landing a spot in the squad after being recruited by Rassie Erasmus himself.

“Dream, dream, dream,” Sacha posted an Instagram post of him playing rugby in 2020

In another, he shared:  “Never give up”.

In 2016, Sacha – then just 14 years old – posed for a pic alongside now-captain Siya Kolisi. 

“Idols must become rivals,” he prophetically claims.

Take a look at more throwback pictures of a young Sacha….

IS SACHA FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU DESERVING OF A WORLD RUGBY AWARD?

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