Springbok wunderkind Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is set to light up Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium with his dazzling brand of all-out attacking rugby next Saturday when the Stormers face Toulon in the Investec Champions Cup.
After a frustrating two-month wait on the sidelines due to a knee injury, medical staff have given 22-year-old Feinberg-Mngomezulu a clean bill of health to return to action.
Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman said the Bok prodigy was in line to make his comeback against the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday ahead of the Toulon clash in Gqeberha a week later.
Playmaker Feinberg-Mngomezulu was one of the nominees for the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year Award after his impressive form for the Boks.
“Sacha has been doing well in training and he will be available for selection this week to face the Sharks on Saturday,” Snyman said.
The Stormers’ attack coach poured cold water on suggestions that Bok management had requested Feinberg-Mngomezulu be exclusively picked to play at flyhalf.
“There has been no request like that and it is great for us to have someone like Sacha who can be so good in several different positions,” he said.
It remains unclear whether Manie Libbok will be included in the Stormers line-up in Durban.
“Manie only arrived back in South Africa on Monday and we will speak to him and see where he is at before we make any decisions.
“Like Sacha, he could also be available to play on Saturday.”
Snyman said Damian Willemse would be sidelined for some time after he sustained a groin injury against Glasgow Warriors in Stellenbosch.
“Damian was ruled out for 12 weeks so it will be a while before he plays for us again,” Snyman said.
“We have had five weeks of his period out, so there are seven to go.
“Salmaan Moerat isn’t back yet, he might be back the following week [against Toulon in the Champions Cup], Frans Malherbe is also out for another week.
“Evan Roos is due back at the end of December, and we are expecting Deon Fourie back in a few weeks.
“BJ Dixon was also injured against Glasgow and he won’t be back this week either.
“We are playing against a team with top players in it and for a guy like Suleiman Hartzenberg it is a great opportunity for them to measure themselves against the likes of Makazole Mapimpi.”
Feinberg-Mngomezulu found himself in hot water earlier this season after not informing the Bok coaches of a knee injury so he could play against the All Blacks.
At the time, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus said: “Sacha injured his knee before the first Test against the All Blacks and he played in that game.
“The next week on Wednesday, I asked him why he was limping and he said he injured his knee last week.
“I wanted to pull him out of that team because he was limping, on the field even.
“That’s what our players must understand; we have respect for everybody, but we must be honest when it comes to injuries,” he added.
“Nobody who’s got an injury and 80% ready is better than a Springbok who has no injuries and is 100% ready.
“So Sacha is lucky that we won those Test matches because he gambled a bit.”
Tickets for the Stormers game in Gqeberha, which range in price from R60 to R300, have gone on sale and are expected to be snapped up.
Tickets are available from Webtickets online, Pick n Pay, Boxer Stores and from the NMB stadium ticket office.
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