Dynamic Sacha – or creative Manie? Stormers coach John Dobson and the rest of his management team will have a difficult decision to make as their team fights to get into the playoffs of this year’s United Rugby Championship competition.
For the past three seasons, Manie has been widely regarded as the “Hero of Cape Town” after showing unmatched flair and creativity to lead the Cape Town-based team to two consecutive finals, with the Stormers winning the competition in its inaugural year.
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His ability to keep the opposition guessing while creating magic with the boot has not only earned him the recognition of being the highest point scorer in the first two years of the competition, but it has also led him to receiving a call up to the national team where he played an important part on keeping our RWC hopes alive as the only recognised flyhalf in the team in 2023.
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However, the 27-year-old has been spending time on the sidelines due to an injury sustained in a Champions Cup clash against French club Racing 92 in Paris.
This has since paved the way for 23-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mnomezulu to take the number 10 jersey and shine.
Until last year, Sacha rarely played number 10 and would often alternate between 12 and 15 with occasional appearances at flyhalf. After receiving his national call-up last year, he made it clear, 10 is where he thrives most.
Since Manie’s setback, the former Bishop’s pupil has now been thriving in his role as the team’s general scoring a hat-trick of tries over the weekend.
This has since earned him the praise of Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat, who said: “He has bailed us out a few times. It is not just about his attacking… He has a great kicking game, and when you are playing games that are near Test-match level, that is what you need”.
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Meanwhile, coach John Dobson has hinted that Manie would soon be back, and with the Stormers now lacking consistency and in dire need of securing themselves a spot in the playoff, it remains uncertain of whether he will go with the experience of Manie Libbok, or the unpredictability of Sacha.
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