RUGBY NEWS - A solid playmaker once under fire for his goal kicking, Manie Libbok is steadily broadening his skill set and proving as reliable in front of the posts as anyone.
He told the media on Wednesday that he had to thank his Springbok coaches and teammates for this. But most of all, he was glad his hard work was paying off.
Libbok nails 6/7
Libbok has been selected to play from the bench in the first Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in Durban on Saturday (5.10pm) after another strong showing in what is perhaps his best season in the green and gold.
The 28 year old came on for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the 18th minute (HIA) and stayed at 10 for the rest of the record 43-10 win against the All Blacks two weeks ago.
He created chances with hand and boot, as always, but slotted six of his seven kicks (85.7%) to show he is more than a one-dimensional player.
The flyhalf kicked all five conversions against the Barbarians in June and followed up with good performances against Italy and Australia before the Wellington spectacle.
When asked about it, he joked, as Bok coach Rassie Erasmus had earlier in the week, that the Rhino-branded ball he used in training was making all the difference.
He then clarified: “I’ve put a lot of work into my kicking since I was struggling. I did everything in my power to get it right. I am just happy it is coming together now. The hard work is paying off.”
Springbok flyhalves encourage each other to grow
He said training with Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Handré Pollard helped his growth. The former is also considered a solid playmaker and great individual talent, while Pollard is the most experienced and reliable goal-kicker. Pollard took over from Libbok in the 2023 Rugby World Cup and didn’t miss a single kick there.
“We push each other to be better in training every day,” Libbok said. “That brings the best out of all of us. I am happy to be in this position with both of them, and competing against both of them. That definitely helped me elevate my game.”
The flyhalf said he had especially learned to feed the ball in such a way as to preserve the energy of forwards, who need to make a greater impact in the set-pieces.
Libbok ready for Argentina’s attacking style
On the Argentina clash, Libbok expected creative plays and a testing aerial battle from his opposite 10.
“They all come from Sevens backgrounds and are quick – good agility, footwork and skill sets. Tomás Albornoz is a very good player. He has amazing skill sets, an amazing feel for the game, an amazing brain.
“They are very good in the air. We also pride ourselves on the aerial game. I think it will be a massive challenge between the two. The one that is more desperate will win.”
Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen
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