Manie Libbok answered his critics
OPINION: In the Springboks’ 45-21 demolition of England, flyhalf Manie Libbok showed that he’s not just your man when it comes to the flashy and the extraordinary on attack.
He was by no means “ordinary”; he’s too good to ever be described as such, but even without outrageous displays of skill and flair, he got the potent Bok backline going on a try-scoring mission.
The Boks ran rampant in their Nations Championship opener as England stood no chance at Ellis Park.
While the South Africans’ thrashing of the Roses should have sent out a warning, what made their display even more threatening is the fact that they weren’t even at their best.
England were by no means hapless and fought their way back from 0-17 down to make it a three-point game at half-time, but the Boks were just on another level. They shifted into a higher gear when it was demanded.
Libbok was rock solid as he marshalled the Springbok attack, delivered when it came to his passing game, line kicking, and overall efforts from the boot that had the English back three in disarray. His defence was tops, while he also gave a superb pass in the build-up to Kurt-Lee Arendse’s try.
He wasn’t flashy, but his game still featured that vision that allows his team to hit the fast-forward button before the opposition even realised what was happening.
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No prominent Springbok player has as many detractors as Libbok, and while he has nothing to prove, his performance at the weekend was yet another statement of his quality.
Those who prefer to cling to the goal-kicking issues he has experienced at times refuse to let it go.
Libbok can be in the driving seat when the Springboks deliver record results, like when he pulled the strings masterfully to hand the All Blacks their biggest-ever defeat at home, but his critics will remind you of his missed kicks like it changed the course of history.
Libbok isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and he never will be; some simply don’t enjoy his high-risk, high-reward style, and some prefer a flyhalf who does the basics, even if he’s little more than a tactical and goal-kicking metronome.
He will never fit the confines of “normal” because he is not a normal player. There is nothing normal about his abilities.
Those abilities were on full display in the second division of Japan Rugby League One, where he finished as the top points-scorer for the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.
It’s a scene where he would naturally flourish and where his game would be appreciated more, given the attacking, free-flowing style. And that attacking style will only grow in importance for the Boks.
During the 2025 Rugby Championship, the Boks scored 27 tries, 200-plus points – both tournament records – and also increased their average tries per match from four to four-and-a-half, while their offload numbers almost doubled.
Attack is not just an add-on to the Springboks’ repertoire; it is now a part of their identity. With that, the value of a flyhalf who can not only manage games, but shape them increases. And when it comes to attacking conductors, a player like Libbok is right up there.
Handre Pollard has been handed a start at flyhalf for the Loftus clash against Scotland, but with a blockbuster season ahead, which includes the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in August and September, Libbok has ample time to shine and to do what he does best.
