“I Wouldn’t Rule Out Willemse at 10”: Springboks Fans Split Over Flyhalf After Sacha, Pollard Form

• The weekend United Rugby Championship derby between Stormers and the Bulls placed the Springboks’ fly-half options firmly in the spotlight
• Springboks fans are debating the best choice at number 10, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Handré Pollard, Manie Libbok, and Damian Willemse are all under consideration
• Rassie Erasmus is facing key selection decisions as the team prepares for the upcoming warm-up match against the Barbarians in July

The Springboks stars came under the microscope over the weekend in the United Rugby Championship, sparking debate about how South Africa should line up in the 2026 season.

The DHL Stormers faced the Bulls on Saturday, 14 March 2026, with the Stormers coming out on top. The South African derby showcased several Springboks stars going head-to-head, giving neutral fans the chance to savour the duels and enjoy the action. All eyes were on the highly competitive fly-half position, which has been up for grabs.

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Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has made the position his own in recent matches, pushing the veteran two-time World Cup winner Handré Pollard to the bench. Japanese-based Manie Libbok has been head coach Rassie Erasmus's preferred second option in that role.

Springbok fan ignites debate over the fly-half role

After Saturday’s match, a Springbok fan reignited the debate over who should fill the crucial playmaking number 10 role for South Africa:

@scrumming_ten:

"The way that Sacha and Pollard have been playing recently, I wouldn't rule out Damian Willemse playing a Test at 10 this year."

See the tweet below:

Erasmus spoke in January about the squad’s depth at fly-half, noting that the team has multiple options depending on its game plan. He expressed satisfaction with the current selection, saying the players offer flexibility for different match situations.

Fan reactions show concerns over Sacha and Pollard

Rugby fans weighed in following recent underwhelming performances from Sacha and Pollard, who also seem to be running out of gas for the Bulls. This situation could cause Erasmus a headache and may force him to consider turning to Manie Libbok or Damian Willemse.

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Some of the opinions from Boks fans included:

@the_bernster:

"Manie and Hendrikse must be rejoicing, especially if Sacha's goal kicking doesn't improve."

@Carltonbyrnes:

"Sacha isn’t a 10 and Pollard is only a world-class goal kicker. Pollard’s game is extremely limited and if the Boks aren’t dominating up front, he’s exposed."

@tyrescekyle:

"The problem with Pollard is he kills attacks and plays off the back foot too much. That was fine before, but with the Boks playing more expansive rugby, it is more noticeable. Sacha’s problem is he always wants to be the hero; he needs to focus on being great at the basics."

@Pawnsniper:

"Agree. Pollard is finished. His goal kicking is no longer reliable. Even his line kicks are very poor. Sacha struggles when his pack doesn’t completely dominate. He’s lucky to play behind the dominant Bok pack. He’s brilliant on the front foot but struggles under pressure."

Erasmus named his squad for the alignment camp a few weeks ago. Pollard and Sacha were included, along with Manie Libbok and Damian Willemse. The coach will have to make a key decision on who will line up at fly-half as the Springboks open the season with a warm-up match against the Barbarians in July in Nelson Mandela Bay.

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Sacha steals the spotlight in the URC match

Briefly News previously reported that the DHL Stormers came out on top on Saturday, 14 March 2026, in the final South African derby of the season against the Bulls, winning emphatically 32-19 in Pretoria.

The Springboks star player,24-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu also grabbed attention for an incident involving the match official.

Source: Briefly News