The All Blacks believe they know what is coming when Handre Pollard starts as Springboks No 10. They also have a fair idea what to expect from Manie Libbok. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is different.

He is the unknown.

And that, according to New Zealand’s Aotearoa Rugby Podcast, is precisely why he should be the Springboks’ starting No 10 for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.

Springboks No 10

With four Tests against the All Blacks looming, the podcast argued that South Africa’s greatest weapon is not simply Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s talent, but the uncertainty he creates. Opponents cannot predict whether the next touch will be a pass, a kick, a dummy or something they have never seen before. That hesitation, they believe, is enough to create the space that wins Test matches.

The hosts compared Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s attacking instincts to those of All Blacks great Carlos Spencernot because he plays the same game, but because he sees opportunities others don’t and is fearless enough to take them.

The statistics support the excitement.

Against New Zealand, Ireland and France, Feinberg-Mngomezulu has started just four Tests, with the Springboks winning by an average margin of 15.8 points. Pollard has started 20 Tests against the same opposition, across very different Springbok eras, while Libbok has also shown he can combine attacking ambition with tactical control.

The discussion, however, wasn’t about diminishing either man.

Pollard was praised as the consummate Test match manager, capable of squeezing opponents through territory, discipline and scoreboard pressure. Libbok was described as the flyhalf who blends patience with flair, happy to play the percentages before striking when the defence presents an opportunity.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu, they argued, doesn’t wait for the invitation.

He creates it.

And if New Zealand’s rugby minds are right, that makes him the Springboks’ most dangerous weapon heading into the biggest rivalry in rugby.

James Parsons, the former Blues (115 matches) and North Harbour (106 matches) hooker, played two Tests for the All Blacks between 2014 and 2016, repeatedly returned to one theme: Feinberg-Mngomezulu doesn’t think like a conventional Test flyhalf.

“He is going to match fire with fire,” said Parsons. “He’s the guy … I’m not saying he’s (former Blues and All Blacks No 10) Carlos Spencer, but I am saying he’s Carlos Spencer-like.”

It wasn’t a comparison of careers, but of instinct.

“It’s the no-look kick, no-look pass. He’s going to do things that you haven’t seen before on a rugby field and try and catch you off guard.”

What impressed Parsons most was that Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s attacking ambition never seems to diminish, regardless of the scoreboard.

“He wants to win by 15 points,” he said. “Not once does he take the pedal off.”

Parsons argued that this mentality creates a unique challenge for opposing defences.

“Defensively he’s hard to prepare for because of the unknown, which then creates the hesitation to allow the basics to shine as well.”

Feinberg-Mngomezulu finished 2025 as the Springboks starting No 10. He got injured in the United Rugby Championship quarter-final and will make his competitive return for the Springboks on the 8th August against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

McCaw’s All Blacks v Siya’s Springboks: Who is the greatest?