On Saturday, the Stormers will take on Connacht in Cape Town in the first of four consecutive home matches.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu is working his way back to full fitness after a seven-month injury layoff, which saw him miss the Springboks’ End-of-Year tour and the bulk of the URC season.

His return is a timely boost for the Cape Town-based franchise, which is targeting four bonus-point wins to finish in the top eight.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu is, however, staying grounded and not putting too much pressure on himself. “From September until March, I only had about 90 minutes of rugby under my belt – that’s nearly seven months,” he said, reflecting on the time he’s missed since picking up a knee injury last year.

“I’ve played more minutes in the last two games than I had in the past seven months, so I’m giving myself a bit of leeway to make the odd mistake. That mindset keeps me going. I don’t want to be too hard on myself.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Photo: Stormers

“Being back on the field, doing what I love with the guys I love, it’s a special feeling. After such a long layoff, I’m just incredibly grateful to be playing again.

“And to come back during such a competitive part of the season is ideal. It’s a great opportunity to contribute and put my hand up for the team.”

With the playoffs looming, the Stormers know they’ll likely need to win all four remaining matches – all at home – and do so convincingly. Feinberg-Mngomezulu emphasised the importance of making home advantage count.

“Playing at home is massive for us and gives us the best possible chance to secure 20 points from the last four matches,” he said. “That’s what separates the top teams from the middle of the table in this competition. If there’s a chance to get five points, you’ve got to take it.

“Of course, we’d be happy with four if we miss out on five, but our goal is to collect as many points as we can from these fixtures.”

Saturday’s clash between the Stormers and Connacht at Cape Town Stadium kicks off at 16:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg