Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu says double World Cup winner Handre Pollard is still the Springboks’ No 1 flyhalf.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu made his Test debut against Wales at Twickenham last year and went on to earn eight Springbok caps. He started three of South Africa’s six Rugby Championship matches at flyhalf, including both away games against the Wallabies and the Ellis Park Test against the All Blacks.

The 23-year-old has been hailed as “a generational talent” by Stormers director of rugby John Dobson and won South Africa’s 2024-25 Vodacom URC Player of the Season award.

However, speaking at the Springbok team hotel in Johannesburg this week, the playmaker made it clear that he sees Pollard as the standard-setter in the No 10 jersey.

“I know Handre is the GOAT, he’s No 1,” said Feinberg-Mngomezulu, as quoted by Rapport. “Handre has led us to two World Cup titles. That in itself is a statement. The calmness he brings to the group, the impact he has, is unparalleled. It gives him GOAT status.”

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Manie Libbok is the other flyhalf in the Springbok squad preparing for Saturday’s clash against the Barbarians in Cape Town and the Tests against Italy and Georgia in July.

“We don’t really have a ranking, and we don’t necessarily know what the planning looks like for the whole year in terms of who’s going to play when,” Feinberg-Mngomezulu added. “Who plays depends on the opponents and the game plan. It’s nice because there’s no hierarchy.”

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Despite that flexibility, Feinberg-Mngomezulu says the respect for Pollard runs deep.

“The guys around him can play freely because he knows what he’s doing. He shows it on the biggest stage and on the training field. He’s always consistent and that’s what makes him so special.”

Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images