Manie Libbok’s biggest Springbok opportunity may have arrived, writes SIMON BORCHARDT.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s injury gives Libbok the chance to silence his doubters during the Nations Championship in July and possibly the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks too.
I admit, I am one of those doubters.
While Libbok was calling the shots when the Springboks ran rampant against the All Blacks in Wellington last year – and is highly rated by attack coach Tony Brown – the question for me is whether you would want the 28-year-old at flyhalf in a tightly contested World Cup final that could be decided by one mistake or one goal kick.
Libbok’s late penalty miss during the 2024 Rugby Championship match against Argentina in Santiago – a relatively straightforward kick from 35m out that would have secured victory for the Boks – immediately comes to mind. So too does the unnecessarily high-risk pass that allowed the Wallabies back into the 2025 Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park, which they went on to win against all odds.
In contrast, when I think of Handré Pollard, I think of his 22-point haul in the 2019 World Cup final against England. I think of his ice-cool late pressure kicks in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final against France and semi-final against England, and the fact he scored all 12 of the Boks’ points in the final against the All Blacks.
If I had to choose someone to kick for my life, it would be Pollard.
However, there is no getting away from the fact that the Boks pose a far greater attacking threat with Libbok at 10, as he showed on that glorious night in Wellington after replacing the injured Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the 18th minute.
“What really impressed me about Manie’s performance was that, in the second half, he didn’t overplay,” former Bok coach Nick Mallett said at the time. “We scored five tries, but not by running from our 22 – we kicked smart, contestable kicks and kept turning them. He managed that balance exceptionally well.
“He came on when the pack had us on the front foot – Jasper [Wiese] was making metres, Pieter-Steph [du Toit] was carrying, the lineout was operating properly, and once Wilco Louw came on, the scrum was dominant – and Manie steered us superbly in those conditions.
“In that period, his tactical kicking and decision-making were excellent: when the ruck ball was quick and we had momentum, we moved it; when it wasn’t, we kicked contestables. That balance was spot-on.”
GENIA: Japan stint sharpening Libbok for Boks
Libbok showed that night he can perform on a big stage under pressure – the Boks had lost to the All Blacks in Auckland the previous week – but he has yet to do it consistently.
With Feinberg-Mngomezulu sidelined for three to six months, Libbok may be given the opportunity by coach Rassie Erasmus and Brown to wear the No 10 jersey against England at Ellis Park on 4 July, and possibly a week later against Scotland at Loftus too.
If he takes it, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu fails to recover in time for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, Libbok could get the chance to write himself into the history books against the All Blacks in August and September.
He will head into the international season full of confidence after topping the Japan Rugby League One Division 2 scoring charts with 165 points in 14 matches for the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.
The Boks already know what Libbok can add. The next few months may determine whether Erasmus believes he can be backed when everything is on the line at next year’s World Cup.
Who should start at 10 for the Boks against England?
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
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Manie Libbok’s biggest Springbok opportunity may have arrived, writes @SimonBorchardt
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