Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu sizzles for Boks in Turin

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was sensational, Morné van den Berg was magnificent and the Springboks were merciless in smashing Italy 66-7 in Turin.

The Springboks scored nine tries, but the greatest entertainment came from the genius of Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who scored 26 points, kicked 10 from 10 off the tee and celebrated his 10th Test try in a performance that was as complete as it was compelling.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu is a special rugby player, but what he produced in Turin was special even by his extraordinary standards.

The 24-year-old was irresistible in the opening 40 minutes, controlling the game with an authority that spoke to his maturity as much as his natural attacking gifts.

His balance between kicking, passing and running was exceptional. There was no predictability to his play, no unnecessary indulgence and no sense that he was forcing the spectacular.

The spectacular simply happened because of the quality of his decision-making and the execution that followed.

He made nine carries, the third most of any Springbok, broke the Italian defensive line twice, made six tackles and produced a stunning 50-22 that was as much about his vision as his kicking excellence.

He was constantly challenging the Italian defence, whether through his running threat, the speed of his distribution or the accuracy of his tactical kicking.

The Italians never knew what was coming next, and that was the beauty of his performance.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s influence was not limited to his time at flyhalf. He played the final 20 minutes at fullback, another reminder of his versatility and the attacking options available to Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.

For all the individual brilliance of Feinberg-Mngomezulu, this was also a triumph of the collective, with Van den Berg officially recognised as the Nations Championship Player of the Match.

The scrumhalf was outstanding.

He made 53 passes, scored a try, won two turnovers and was responsible for the majority of the Springboks’ 28 kicks in a match in which South Africa dominated the aerial contest.

Van den Berg was relentless in his energy and precision, and his partnership with Feinberg-Mngomezulu gave the Boks an attacking rhythm that Italy simply could not contain.

There was speed to the service, accuracy in the kicking and an understanding of when to accelerate the game and when to squeeze the opposition.

It was a masterclass in halfback control.

The Springboks’ dominance was also built on the industry of their forwards and the attacking appetite of their outside backs.

Ethan Hooker, with 13 carries, was among the busiest players on the field, while Kurt-Lee Arendse’s pace and ability to break the defensive line made him a constant danger.

Damian de Allende, with 13 carries, again provided the physical presence and attacking momentum that have made him such an influential figure in the Springbok midfield.

And then there was Pieter-Steph du Toit.

The double World Rugby Player of the Year delivered another extraordinary 80-minute shift in the No 7 jersey, making a team-high 13 tackles and adding 10 carries.

Du Toit has made world-class performances so routine that his excellence is almost taken for granted. He remains the ultimate example of the Springboks’ work ethic, physicality and refusal to compromise.

Malcolm Marx was equally influential in his 45 minutes.

The hooker scored twice, extending his record as the most prolific try-scoring forward in Springbok history, and was immense in the physical exchanges.

Marx’s contribution was another reminder that the Springboks’ power is not simply measured by the size of their forwards, but by the quality of their skills, their mobility and their ability to turn pressure into points.

Replacement tighthead Wilco Louw enjoyed himself against the Italian scrum, feasting on the opposition set piece and adding a popular try to a performance that reinforced South Africa’s extraordinary front-row depth.

Captain Siya Kolisi was outstanding, both as a player and as a leader.

Kolisi set the emotional and physical tone, and what impressed most was the manner in which the Boks maintained their intensity in the first half despite the scoreboard increasingly making the contest a formality.

Italy were overwhelmed by the physicality, outplayed tactically and exposed by the variety of South Africa’s attack.

The Boks could beat them through the forwards, beat them in the air and beat them with the pace and creativity of their backs.

There was simply no escape.

Yet, amid another commanding Springbok performance, Feinberg-Mngomezulu was the headline act.

The Springboks have won successive World Cups through an uncompromising commitment to physicality, defence and tactical discipline.

In Feinberg-Mngomezulu, they have a player who can complement those traditional strengths with an attacking dimension that is as unpredictable as it is devastating.

*Springboks lock Salmaan Moerat was a late withdrawal after injury in the warm-up ruled him out of the Test.

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