Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu didn’t just answer his critics on Saturday – he torched their arguments in front of a packed Hollywoodbets Kings Park crowd, as South Africa romped to a 67-30 victory over Argentina in Round 5 of the Rugby Championship 2025.
Heading into this clash, the spotlight wasn’t on the Springboks’ title push. It was on him: the 23-year-old fly-half tasked with leading the world champions against a dangerous Los Pumas outfit. And the scepticism didn’t just come from social media. Two respected rugby players, John Allan and Warren Britz, publicly questioned whether Feinberg-Mngomezulu was ready for the big stage.
Allan, in particular, made headlines when he declared:
“I am just surprised that Rassie (Erasmus) has not started Pollard. That’s my boy. He’s played [sic] Sacha, who I think personally is a bit windgat. And might cost us the game.”
It was the kind of comment that gets replayed and dissected – and will inevitably find its way to “Starboy” himself.
But on Saturday night in Durban, Sacha didn’t respond with words. He responded with one of the most electrifying individual performances ever seen in the Rugby Championship.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu racked up 37 points – the most ever by a South African fly-half in the tournament’s history as well as the history of the Springboks since 1906. He was (almost) flawless off the tee, while scoring a historic hat-trick in the process, unlocking the Argentina’s defence with the poise of a seasoned general. At times, the Pumas were simply chasing shadows as the Springbok backline moved to his rhythm.
It wasn’t just about flair. His game management (in what was really a shambolic, helter-skelter and heart-racing encounter) was immaculate – alternating between flat, hard-running phases and clever territorial kicks that pinned Argentina deep. His defence, often cited as a weakness of young playmakers, was nothing short of defiant: fronting up to midfield collisions, making his tackles, and setting the tone.
As the scoreboard ticked over and Durban roared, Allan and Britz’s pre-match remarks began to resurface online. Fans were quick to splice their quotes with highlight clips of Sacha’s brilliance. The reaction? Merciless.
This result keeps South Africa as favourites right in the hunt for the Rugby Championship title, leading the All Blacks by a single point. But more importantly, it may have marked the true arrival of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu as a Test fly-half. For months, the question lingered: Is he ready to step out of Handré Pollard’s shadow?
On Saturday night, under the Durban lights, Sacha didn’t just step out – he took flight.
