Feinberg-Mngomezulu turned his vision into the performance of the season

It was while he was working the hardest to come back from the biggest injury setback of his career that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu had a very clear vision of the kind of player he truly wanted to be.

When the young DHL Stormers flyhalf did return to the field after extensive rehab from his 2024 knee injury, the rugby world saw that vision for itself as he lit up the game on his way to being crowned the Vodacom Player of the Season in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

“I had quite a lot of time to reflect within the three-and-a-half months of my injury. I decided I need to stay true to myself and follow what I believe is right for me on the field. I decided to play rugby like I enjoy it,” says Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

He took that vision and turned it into some of the most scintillating, skilful and thrilling rugby seen from a man wearing the No 10 jersey and he touched the game with a youthful magic that played a key role in his team’s journey to the URC quarter-finals.

It was all forged in the crucible of injury towards the end of 2024 and the intense work he put in to find another gear deep within himself and which took his game to another level completely.

“I’m not shy to admit that I’ve been injured a few times and have begun to understand the rehab process. But this time it was different. I had a different focus and drive to get back to playing good rugby again. I wanted to come back harder and stronger and I feel I did,” he says.

“I think that’s why I’m so honoured by the Vodacom Player of the Season award. Prior to my return from injury I was very clear about wanting to return and play at an optimal level. I was really working hard behind the scenes. I have never worked so hard in my career to come back. I wanted to push myself as hard as I could to help my team, and this award really encapsulated all of that for me.”

It was also Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s own search beyond his sport and into other sports that helped to crystalise this for him.

“Coach Rito Hlungwani gave me a book and it’s one I dive deeply into. It’s called Relentless and it looks into what that really means. It’s a mindset where nothing can sway you off from what you want to achieve. It spoke about the challenges other athletes like Michael Jordan and Kobie Bryant and Dwyane Wade have faced. In this high contact sport we play there are always going to be setbacks. But the best players have experienced these setbacks and used them as fire to come back as even better players. So I thought, why not me? Why can’t I also turn this rollercoaster of emotions and disappointment and lack of game time into something where I can chase what I want to achieve in this sport.”

When he did return to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, that fire ran wild on fields from Cape Town to Llanelli as Feinberg-Mngomezulu embraced what he says makes this competition such a powerful developer of new young talent in rugby.

“I can’t speak more highly of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. If you look at Cameron Hanekom as the Next Gen Player of the Season and the Elite XV, I played with him and we all had similar aspirations. It’s quite comforting to know there are other players in your age group in this competition like Cameron, Canan Moodie and Paul de Villiers and it gives you the belief that if they can do it why can’t you.

“You play against the best players in the world and it’s the perfect platform as a player. You play in different conditions every weekend from sun to rain to artificial pitches. It’s the perfect place to grow and learn outside of your comfort zone. It’s a big blessing for us to be a part of this competition because it gives you a taste of the international rugby experience that you want from Italian, Welsh, Scottish and Irish teams. There’s no better place to develop as a young individual and I’ve been so happy to be a part of this competition.”

For what his coach John Dobson has called “a generational talent”, this was indeed a performance that underlined a new breed of young rugby star chasing their dreams in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

Sitho Mdlalose, CEO of Vodacom South Africa said: “Sacha represents everything that makes the BKT United Rugby Championship such a captivating competition. He has shown tremendous determination to get to this level of the game. He has shown incredible resilience to come back from a serious injury. And he has shown us all a vision of the future through some of the most exciting and creative play we saw in the competition this season.”

“As the biggest supporter of South African rugby, Vodacom is extremely proud to reward a young player who is an inspiration and who represents such a bright future for the BKT United Rugby Championship as a platform for the next generation of stars in world rugby.”

Feinberg-Mngomezulu is one of four South African players who won awards this season, with Hanekom, Deon Fourie and Ruben van Heerden also featuring amongst the winners for 2024/25, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks were also rewarded for their innovative approach to the match day experience.

The talented 23-year-old went up against two of his Springbok teammates, the Vodacom Bulls duo of Hanekom and Wilco Louw, for the prestigious South African award and his sublime form for the DHL Stormers, in which he dictated play with class and played a key role in the team’s goal-kicking structures, saw him grab the title.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu follows in the footsteps of former Emirates Lions utility back Sanele Nohamba (who is currently plying his trade in Japan) and his DHL Stormers teammates Evan Roos and Manie Libbok, who won the award in the last three seasons.

SA Rugby President Mark Alexander praised the young star’s outstanding season: “Sacha is undoubtedly one of the finest young talents in the country. His ability to deliver quality performances consistently is a testament to the excellent player he is. He lit up the field this season and made a massive contribution to his team’s success on attack, scoring in every possible way.”

Alexander also congratulated all the other winners and nominees for their stellar performances during the season and extended his best wishes to the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks, who will clash in Pretoria on Saturday for a place in the Grand Final.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu quickly rose to prominence as a world-class playmaker, skills he backs up with a calm persona under pressure. It was these traits that saw him being nominated for the award in a process that included votes from the Springbok and franchise coaches, as well as local media.

The former Junior Springbok captain made his Test debut against Wales at Twickenham in June last year and went on to earn eight caps for the Springboks in their impressive 2024 season, in which they won 11 out of 13 Test matches and were crowned the Castle Lager Rugby Championship winners.

On Wednesday, Hanekom was named as Next-Gen Player of the Season. The prestigious award was voted for by members of the media across all five Vodacom URC nations.

This award is to recognise young up-and-coming talent and is open to players who were aged 23 or under at the start of the season and had earned no more than five international caps at the beginning of the 2024/25 season.

They must also have played at least nine games in the 2024/25 Vodacom URC season. Hanekom has been a key player for the Vodacom Bulls this season, helping them finish second on regular season table.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Hanekom and Louw have also been included in the season’s Elite XV, which was also determined by a media vote from players that have made at least nine appearances to be considered.

Joining them are their Springbok team mates Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), and RG Snyman, who plays for Leinster, while former Toyota Cheetahs hooker Marnus van der Merwe from Scarlets also made the selection.

Meanwhile, Fourie’s stunning score for the DHL Stormers against Scarlets was voted the Try of the Season powered by URC.tv. The experienced Springbok forward got on the end of a sensational team effort, jam-packed full of offloads, dummies and sizzling footwork. There were 10 tries in total nominated, with Fourie beating some stiff competition to the award.

Earlier in the week, DHL Stormers lock Van Heerden was named as the recipient of the Tackle Machine Award, given to the player who boasts the best tackle success rate among those who have attempted 150 or more over the course of the campaign.

Van Heerden made 171 tackles at a success rate of 98%. He edged Glasgow Warriors forward Rory Darge who made 160 tackles with an accuracy of 97%, as well as Hollywoodbets Sharks loose forward Phepsi Buthelezi in third place, with 157 tackles and a tackle accuracy of 96.82%.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks won the Innovation Award for SharksFest. Determined by a selection panel, clubs were rewarded for innovation by growing the game through digital fan engagement, match day experience and social purpose.

Clubs who broke the mould and demonstrated driving a real change by increasing following and revenue were considered.

SharksFest is the ultimate matchday experience that blends rugby with a vibrant festival atmosphere. Designed to entertain fans from the moment they arrive until the leave, the event caters to families, first-time stadium attendees and die-hard fans. By offering diverse entertainment, interactive activations and engaging activities, SharskFest transforms a regular matchday into an unforgettable experience beyond the 80 minutes of play.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks and SharksFest were chosen for this award after they clearly demonstrated an enhanced matchday experience, while increasing fan engagement, attendance and overall revenue.

URC Awards Winners 2024/25

Gilbert Golden Boot: Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets)

OFX Top Try Scorer: Harri Millard (Cardiff Rugby)

Tackle Machine: Ruben van Heerden (DHL Stormers)

Ironman: Cam Winnett (Cardiff Rugby)

Playmaker: Tom Farrell (Munster Rugby)

Elite XV: 15 Jamie Osborne (Leinster Rugby), 14 Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), 13 Tom Farrell (Munster Rugby), 12 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 11 Blair Murray (Scarlets); 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), 9 Craig Casey (Munster Rugby); 8 Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls), 7 Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors), 6 Jac Morgan (Ospreys); 5 Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby), 4 RG Snyman (Leinster Rugby); 3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), 2 Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls).

Next-Gen Player of the Season: Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls)

Innovation Award: Hollywoodbets Sharks

Try of the Season Powered by URC.tv: Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers)

South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season: Sacha Feinburg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)