Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu insists it’s far too early to place him in the same conversation as All Blacks great Dan Carter.
The Springbok flyhalf’s stock continues to soar after being named the SA Players’ Player of the Year and topping RugbyPass’ Top 100 list for 2025. But Feinberg-Mngomezulu remains grounded, despite the growing hype that now surrounds him.
“Dan Carter has won three World Rugby Player of the Year awards and two World Cups,” the 23-year-old told Rugby365. “I have won zero of those.”
“It’s fun to talk about, but you have to respect someone’s legacy. I’m a 19-cap Springbok and I haven’t played in a World Cup yet. To put us in the same bracket doesn’t make sense.”
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Carter finished his illustrious career with 112 Test caps, the highest point-scorer in Test rugby history with 1,598, and is widely regarded as the benchmark for flyhalves.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu, for one, believes those comparisons should be left alone for now.
“Let him remain Dan Carter and out of everyone’s reach,” he said. “Give me some time.”
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Looking ahead, the playmaker says the Springboks have clarity around their build-up to the 2027 World Cup, but warns against looking too far ahead.
“Next year, 2026, is a huge, fundamental part of the potential 2027 success,” he explained. “But we will be shooting ourselves in the foot if we think about the World Cup now.”
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Instead, Feinberg-Mngomezulu already has one fixture circled in red.
Despite the much anticipated Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry four-Test series against the All Blacks in August and September, the young Bok star said: “England at home. That is the one.”
The Springboks host England on 4 July as part of the opening round of the new Nations Championship, followed by clashes against Scotland and Wales, before tackling Italy, France and Ireland on the overseas leg.
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Twickenham will then host the finals weekend from 27-29 November, where the inaugural champions will be crowned.
This will bring the curtain down on the year and start the build-up towards the 2027 World Cup in Australia in earnest.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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