The Old Diocesan Issue 12 - Magazine - Page 41
YOUNG ODs
PHOTOGRAPHS GALLO IMAGES AND COLE CRUICKSHANK
N
ot too long ago, career
success felt easier to
spot. You could count
it in followers, titles,
promotions – visible
markers that suggested progress.
Somewhere along the way, though,
those markers began to blur.
Followers could be bought, titles
could be made up on LinkedIn,
and entire industries could shift
overnight in a blink of disruption.
When I chat to Seb Prentice,
he labels “success” a swearword,
a concept that tricks you into
thinking you’ve finished, because
the moment you believe you’ve
arrived is often the moment
you stop becoming. To better
understand what success looks
like in a modern career, I spoke
to a group of young ODs who
have recently taken a massive
step up. All under 30, they’ve
taken their opportunities with
gusto. Interestingly, none of them
measured his progress by applause
or accolades; instead, they measure
it in maturity, responsibility, balance
and leadership.
Seb reminds us that growth
sometimes requires sacrificing
something you love. Laurence
Midgley shows that building
something new often demands
leaving your comfort zone.
Nikhal Narismulu demonstrates
that progress can be quiet and
controlled rather than loud
and explosive. And with his
performances on the rugby
field, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
has learnt that maintaining
your place requires as much
effort as earning it.
“You don’t get
to the top by relying
on talent alone, or
cutting corners.”
Each story points to the same
truth: stepping up is less about
status and more about stewarding
what you have been given,
whether it’s been earned or
gifted. It’s about accepting a new
role – from specialist to director,
from individualist to team player,
from maestro to mentor – and
the weight of responsibility that
comes with it. And, as Shannon
Thebus reminds us, we often only
realise how far we’ve come when
we take a step back.
SACHA FEINBERGMNGOMEZULU
Pro rugby player, age 24
From kicking drop goals through
the Founders clock tower to playing
for South Africa on the international
stage, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
(2020F) has transitioned from
schoolboy prodigy to professional
flyhalf with remarkable composure.
He has made the jumps from school
to provincial (2021) to franchise
(2022) to Test rugby (2024),
learning quickly that each level
demands more than just talent. He
now has 19 Test caps and 172 points.
I
would say I am very much
at the beginning of my
international career and
beginning to feel settled at the
Stormers, where I play club rugby
in the URC and Champions Cup.
I still have so much to learn as
a flyhalf, but I’m enjoying rugby
and trying my best to stay injuryfree. I recently extended my
contract with the Stormers
until June 2029, so I’m pretty
settled in Cape Town for the
foreseeable future.
Each step up from school rugby
is massive. The secret is to want to
get consistently better by working
hard and listening to coaches,
senior players and teammates
around you. Getting into the
Stormers setup was huge because
I was still very young when I got
there, but everyone is so welcoming
and you’re made to feel like you
belong. Going into the Springbok
setup for the first time was
daunting, but again, you’re made
to feel like you belong and you’re
there because you’re good enough,
so there’s no time for self-doubt.
Playing professional rugby has
always been my dream, and I was
Sacha has faced intense scrutiny since making it to the top. Success now isn’t
simply about performing; it’s about handling other people’s expectations.
THE OLD DIOCESAN | 37
