Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus has been handed a fresh injury scare after Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was forced off during South Africa's 66-7 demolition of Italy.

The 24-year-old had been outstanding in Turin, earning a perfect 10/10 in RUCK's player ratings.

But his afternoon ended early after he took a blow to the jaw during an aerial contest.

His smart mouthguard reportedly triggered an alert, with the fly-half subsequently taken off for a head injury assessment (HIA).

He did not return.

It remains unclear whether Feinberg-Mngomezulu passed the assessment, with South Africa yet to confirm the outcome.

Rassie Erasmus faces anxious wait

It was a frustrating end to an otherwise brilliant afternoon for the young playmaker.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu had been at the heart of everything good about the Springboks' attack, contributing 21 points as the world champions tore Italy apart.

His performance was good enough for a rare 10/10 from RUCK.

Now Erasmus faces an anxious wait to discover whether his first-choice fly-half will be available for the next Test.

Any return will depend on the outcome of his medical assessments and the relevant concussion protocols.

Springboks suffer further injury scares

Feinberg-Mngomezulu was not the only concern to emerge from the victory.

Salmaan Moerat was withdrawn from the starting side after picking up an injury during the warm-up.

Replacement flanker Paul de Villiers also underwent an HIA during the second half.

That leaves Erasmus with three players to assess ahead of South Africa's next international against France in Paris on Friday, 13 November.

The Springboks certainly didn't have many problems on the scoreboard.

They ran in nine tries against a helpless Italy side, with Malcolm Marx grabbing a brace in a one-sided contest.

But the fitness of Feinberg-Mngomezulu will now be a major talking point in the build-up to their next Test.

Five quirky facts about Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 🇿🇦

1. 🎙️ His dad is a radio legend: His father, Nick Feinberg, is a well-known South African radio presenter, famous for his outspoken personality on Cape Town's Kfm.

2. 👩‍👦 His mum has famous roots: His mother, Makhosazana Mngomezulu, comes from a family with strong ties to South African culture and heritage.

3. 🔤 He's got one of rugby's longest surnames: Feinberg-Mngomezulu has 18 letters, excluding the hyphen, making it one of the most distinctive names in international rugby.

4. 🏫 He went to a famous rugby school: He attended Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town, which also produced former Springboks captain Francois Pienaar.

5. ©️ He was a teenage captain: He captained South Africa's Under-20 side in 2022, showing his leadership qualities long before becoming a Springboks regular.

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