Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s Father Responds to Criticism Over Yellow Card Incident

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s Father Responds to Criticism Over Yellow Card Incident

  • Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was involved in a heated exchange on the pitch, which saw him penalised and drew attention from the rugby community
  • His father, Nick Feinberg, a well-known broadcaster and journalist, responded online with wit, subtly challenging the motives behind the criticism
  • Observers have questioned how the incident might influence future squad decisions, sparking wider debate about temperament and professionalism in South African rugby

Nick Feinberg, father of young Springbok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, has responded with humour to criticism following last week’s Stormers clash against Scarlets.

Feinberg, a sports radio broadcaster with Cape Town’s Heart FM and a Daily Voice journalist, is known for his outspoken presence on social media. Just on Saturday, 4 October 2025, after the Springboks’ emphatic 67-30 victory over Los Pumas, he addressed online trolls questioning why his son uses both parents’ surnames.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, South Africa, Springboks
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu played a brilliant match against the Los Pumas in Durban. Image: David Rogers
Source: Getty Images

Feinberg-Mngomezulu was penalized following an on-field altercation with Welsh player Taine Plumtree during a match between the Stormers and Scarlets on 10 October 2025.

Read also

Broos chooses Themba Zwane's successor following the Maswanganyi experiment

While some fans and commentators criticised his behaviour, others labelled the backlash as racially biased, sparking a wider conversation on identity and representation in South African rugby.

Rugby analyst critiques ‘bad attitude’

In a clip shared by Omnia Audio Africa, rugby analyst Brett Burns called out Feinberg-Mngomezulu for his scuffle, suggesting it could impact his selection for the Springboks’ end-of-year tour.

Burns remarked that Stormers coach John Dobson “has no choice but to pick Sacha,” but added that Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus “doesn’t even need to have a conversation; he simply doesn’t have to select him if his behaviour continues.”

The debate intensified after the Stormers’ 34-0 victory over the Scarlets on 10 October 2025, when a sports content creator took to TikTok to comment on Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s alleged arrogance on the field.

“A lot of South African fans are starting to turn against Sacha because he is way too full of himself. You can definitely see that this is the definition of a player of a superstar feeling themselves,” he said, prompting divided reactions online.

Read also

CAF Preside Patrice Motsepe breaks silence on McKenzie’s FIFA letter over Mokoena saga

Nick Feinberg, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Springboks, South Africa
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu alongside his father, Nick Feinberg, who is his number one fan. Image:@nickfeinberg
Source: Instagram

Sacha's father defends his son

Nick Feinberg addressed the critique on X, hinting at racial undertones in the comments:

“You know those guys who talk about how great it was in the 80s,” he wrote, dismissing the criticism with his trademark wit.

This is not the first time Feinberg has defended his son against race-related speculation. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu comes from a notable mixed-heritage lineage. He is the grandson of Barry Feinberg, an anti-apartheid artist, poet, and writer who contributed significantly to liberation movement publicity.

Sacha was born to a white British father and a black Zulu mother, representing the complex and diverse heritage of contemporary South African rugby.

Sacha speaks of the Springboks legend he is in awe of

Briefly News previously reported that Springboks young star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu disclosed the South African legend he looks up to.

Mngomezulu spoke highly of the Test centurion and said he brings immense value to the team and is one of his favourite players.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Ncube Harrison avatar

Ncube Harrison (Sports Editor) Harrison Ncube is a sports journalist with years of experience covering African and global sports. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from the Zimbabwe Open University and previously worked at Sports Buzz (2018–2022), freelanced for Sports Journal (2023–2024), and contributed to Radio 54 African Panorama Live (2021–2023). He joined Briefly News in February 2025. For inquiries, reach him at ncube.harrison@briefly.co.za.

Tags: