Nick Mallett says Springbok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s confidence should be celebrated, not mistaken for arrogance.
Speaking on the Talking Boks podcast, the former national coach said there’s “a fine line between self-confidence and arrogance” – and Feinberg-Mngomezulu clearly has the right kind of attitude.
“With self-confidence, you’re often accused of arrogance, and it’s not necessarily the same thing,” said Mallett. “To be self-confident in sport is a massive advantage.”
Feinberg-Mngomezulu has worn the No 10 jersey for the Boks in their last four Tests, and Mallett believes his positive mindset is part of what makes him successful.
“Just think, ‘Give me the ball. I want the ball. I want to do something for my teammates. I know I can,’” he explained. “That’s a winning attitude. Sacha’s got a winning attitude.”
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Mallett said that while some may mistake his on-field swagger for arrogance, it’s really just an expression of self-belief.
“Sometimes it bubbles through on the field where you’ve got a bit of swagger,” Mallett said. “You’ve just got to be careful not to call it arrogance. This guy is confident in his own abilities. He’s definitely not selfish.”
He compared Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s confidence to that seen in great individual athletes.
“When Usain Bolt ran the race and did that whole bloody performance afterwards – I loved it,” he said. “It showed he was on top of his game. You can’t win without self-confidence, whether you’re an individual or part of a team.”
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For Mallett, that mindset is exactly what sets top players apart.
“The more guys you’ve got in your team who can’t wait to play the All Blacks or France, the better chance you have of winning.”
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Photo: Luke Walker/Getty Images
