Springbok attack coach Tony Brown is playing the role of rugby whisperer to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, assuring the masses that the young flyhalf will bounce back from a rough patch. The 24-year-old Stormers star has been a bit off his game, culminating in a trio of losses, including a double whammy against the Sharks and a recent defeat at the hands of the Lions at Ellis Park.
In a move that might have had some scratching their heads, Sacha was stripped of his captain’s armband before the game against the Lions. The idea? To lighten his load and hopefully spark some of that old magic. Brown, however, isn’t sweating it. At a media briefing, he dished out his simple recipe for recovery: “I’ll give him a cuddle, he’ll be OK.”
"In the Springbok environment, the way we train, the way we play and the way we use every player to do his job, he fits in and it’s easy for him,"
Brown continued, highlighting the nurturing habitat of the national team which seems to be just what the doctor ordered for Feinberg-Mngomezulu. “He understands his role. He doesn’t have to do everything on his own.”
The coach pinpointed the crux of the issue, suggesting Sacha’s solo efforts might be part of the problem. “The Stormers are in a bit of a slump and he’s probably trying to do too much by himself. If I have to say something to him, it would be: use the players around you more, don’t always try to take everyone on yourself.”
While the Stormers’ strategy room might currently resemble a group therapy session, the consensus is clear: a little less weight on Sacha’s shoulders could lead to a lot more points on the board. With Brown’s nurturing approach and a team environment that thrives on mutual support, it’s only a matter of time before Feinberg-Mngomezulu rediscovers his form and starts lighting up the scoreboard again.
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Springbok attack coach Tony Brown is playing the role of rugby whisperer to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, assuring the masses that the young flyhalf will bounce back from a rough patch. The 24-year-old Stormers star has been a bit off his game, culminating in a trio of losses, including a double whammy against the Sharks and a recent defeat at the hands of the Lions at Ellis Park.
In a move that might have had some scratching their heads, Sacha was stripped of his captain’s armband before the game against the Lions. The idea? To lighten his load and hopefully spark some of that old magic. Brown, however, isn’t sweating it. At a media briefing, he dished out his simple recipe for recovery: “I’ll give him a cuddle, he’ll be OK.”
"In the Springbok environment, the way we train, the way we play and the way we use every player to do his job, he fits in and it’s easy for him,"
Brown continued, highlighting the nurturing habitat of the national team which seems to be just what the doctor ordered for Feinberg-Mngomezulu. “He understands his role. He doesn’t have to do everything on his own.”
The coach pinpointed the crux of the issue, suggesting Sacha’s solo efforts might be part of the problem. “The Stormers are in a bit of a slump and he’s probably trying to do too much by himself. If I have to say something to him, it would be: use the players around you more, don’t always try to take everyone on yourself.”
While the Stormers’ strategy room might currently resemble a group therapy session, the consensus is clear: a little less weight on Sacha’s shoulders could lead to a lot more points on the board. With Brown’s nurturing approach and a team environment that thrives on mutual support, it’s only a matter of time before Feinberg-Mngomezulu rediscovers his form and starts lighting up the scoreboard again.