Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu adopted a notably measured tone as he prepared to return to Test rugby against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday, tempering expectations around his comeback after an injury that has kept him out since the end of May.
The 24-year-old flyhalf, who will earn his 20th cap alongside Cobus Reinach, was quick to correct a questioner who suggested the Pumas represented ideal opposition for his return. Whilst Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored a record 37 points — including a hat-trick — in a 67-30 victory at Hollywoodbets Kings Park 11 months ago, he reminded the media that his most recent encounter with Argentina yielded a far tighter outcome.
"To be honest brother, the last game I played against Argentina we won by only two points and it was not my greatest game," said Feinberg-Mngomezulu, referencing the 29-27 victory at Twickenham that followed the Durban rout by a week. That London fixture, in which the Pumas scored a consolation try off the final move, offers a more sobering reference point than the flamboyant display that preceded it.
Rehabilitation focus on technical development
Feinberg-Mngomezulu admitted his time on the sidelines proved frustrating, particularly as the Springboks navigated their July fixtures without him. He travelled to Johannesburg to watch the England Test from the stands, an experience he described as valuable in reminding him what it means to represent the national side from a distance.
"I used the time to look at the game from a more technical aspect, and develop in the areas that I probably didn't have time to work on before," he said. "Obviously, it was disastrous when it happened and it wasn't enjoyable, but I made the most of the time off."
The playmaker returns to a squad that has also welcomed back Kolisi, Etzebeth, De Jager and Morne van den Berg from injury. His approach to reintegration emphasised facilitation over individual brilliance, a notable shift in register for a player whose attacking instincts have defined his early Test career.
"The one thing no one can say is that the Springbok team doesn't function, whoever is in the picture," he said. "I'm just coming in trying to facilitate that and keep progressing our game, while taking control of the departments that matter in my position. I'm just trying to build again."
The selection alongside Reinach, who has been in fine form throughout the Rugby Championship, offers Feinberg-Mngomezulu a platform to rebuild match sharpness in a backline that has managed without him. Whether his return shifts the tactical balance in Buenos Aires will depend on how quickly he rediscovers the rhythm that made him such a potent weapon in Durban — and whether he can improve on the more subdued outing that followed it at Twickenham.