Feinberg-Mngomezulu appreciates 'pat on the back from peers' after winning Players' Player of the Year

“A pat on the back from the guys in the same industry as you is everything, and this award means a lot.”

That was the reaction from Springboks flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu after being voted Players’ Player of the Year for 2025 by fellow players and teammates in South Africa.

MyPlayers is the representative body for professional rugby players in the country, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu received the honour on Thursday after being chosen by his peers.

Other nominees included loosehead prop Ox Nché, hooker Malcolm Marx, loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, and utility back Damian Willemse. The 23-year-old enjoyed a stellar season with both the Springboks and the Stormers.

Blitzboks star Donavan Don claimed the Sevens Player of the Year award, while the fleet-footed Byrhandré Dolf was named Women’s Player of the Year. All three capped off brilliant seasons for their national sides, with Dolf playing a major role in the Bok Women’s run to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England.

She was up against teammates Babalwa Latsha, Aseza Hele, Nadine Roos, and Libbie Janse van Rensburg for the crown. Don, who was nominated alongside captain Impi Visser and speedster Shilton van Wyk, was instrumental in helping the Springbok Sevens secure the World Rugby SVNS Championship, clinching the title at the final tournament in Los Angeles.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s meteoric rise in the No 10 jersey has been remarkable. He became the record-holder for the most points scored by a Springbok flyhalf in a single Test after notching 37 points against Argentina in Durban during the Rugby Championship.

That standout performance followed a dazzling display in Wellington, where the Boks dismantled New Zealand 43–10. He rounded off a superb year with excellent showings against Ireland and France during the November Tests. According to the flyhalf, claiming the prize after being nominated by his colleagues means more than other accolades.

“To get recognition from them is everything,” Feinberg-Mngomezulu said. “They are the guys that understand what we try to do and how much work it takes to up your game and to keep on pushing. They are the guys you respect the most. To get their approval is amazing.

“Yes, my trajectory (in his career) has been steep, but my challenge would be to just trust the process I am on and that the journey is not always going to be this Elon Musk rocket taking off. Sometimes it will not be a good day.”

Isma-eel Dollie, general manager for operations at MyPlayers, said what makes the awards remarkable is that the votes come directly from the players.

“We have gone through a rigorous process of getting the nominations list, and these three players are the ones nominated by their peers. We want to congratulate them. There is no better achievement than being acknowledged by your own.

“Hopefully, this is the start of more to come and that you can kick off 2026 on the same note.”