Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has opened up about the mental and emotional demands placed on professional players.
The Stormers playmaker – who’s come under criticism in recent weeks – admitted that it can sometimes be difficult for a professional sportsman to maintain the same level of performance week after week.
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“As rugby players we spend countless hours putting in the work to deliver our best on the field, and then on a Saturday we run out onto the pitch and get to express our talent in front of the world,” he told Netwerk24 in Johannesburg on Thursday.
“It is on Saturdays that I get the opportunity to reap the rewards of the hard work I have put in during the week.”
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But the Stormers star acknowledged that the relentless cycle of training, travel and high-stakes matches can take its toll.
“There is very little recovery time between matches and in big clashes a lot of your energy gets drained. You also experience mental fatigue and that’s why I try to make sure I maintain a balance where I don’t go overboard when I achieve success and also don’t put too much pressure on myself when things go wrong.
“For me it is also important to surround myself with people I can trust.”
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Meanwhile, Feinberg-Mngomezulu expects a ferocious battle in Saturday’s north-south Vodacom URC derby at Loftus Versfeld.
The 24-year-old didn’t need many words to sum up the magnitude of the match.
“It’s going to be a massive clash,” he said.
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
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