Manie Libbok is set to light up the field at flyhalf for the Springboks in their upcoming clash against Italy in Port Elizabeth. Coming off a flawless kicking spree in Cape Town, Libbok's boots are laced for a stellar performance this Saturday, aiming to keep his record pristine both on the field and off the tee.
After dazzling with a perfect five-from-five in his recent outing, Libbok's boot seems ready for the big leagues. "It’s one area of my game I’ve worked really hard on to get right in the past few months," he shared with the press. His prior struggles with the boot, especially a heartbreaker against Argentina last year, haven't dampened his spirits. Instead, they've fueled his fiery comeback. "I’m just happy I got it right against the Barbarians. My focus now is just to improve on that performance and do my best to get it right going into this Test as well. It is a continuous process working on it. I had a really good week this week kicking to poles and I hope I can build on that."
"Leading up to that game, I didn’t have a good record in kicking for poles,"
he admitted, reflecting on the past. But with kicking duties shifted away in Nelspruit, Libbok found his groove elsewhere on the pitch. "It freed me up to focus more on my open play and executing our plans, driving the team around the park and putting us in a position to score tries. But obviously it’s something you take pride in, and for me it’s about identifying it and making the most of the situation."
Despite the heat of competition from flyhalf titans like Handre Pollard and the up-and-coming Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Libbok relishes the challenge. "We’re not seeing it as a battle," he insisted. The trio's rivalry is nothing but beneficial, pushing each to excel. "It’s very healthy competition and it’s obviously good for us all to push each other in training and that helps us get the best out of each other. In that way, we grow as players. It’s nice to work with them and learn from them – how they do things and try to put that into my game. We’re out there every week pushing each other to be better."
As the Boks gear up to dominate the breakdown and command the game, Libbok's journey from the penalty box to the spotlight is one to watch. With his eyes on the posts and his heart in the game, this flyhalf is on a mission to kick it right, every single time.
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Manie Libbok is set to light up the field at flyhalf for the Springboks in their upcoming clash against Italy in Port Elizabeth. Coming off a flawless kicking spree in Cape Town, Libbok's boots are laced for a stellar performance this Saturday, aiming to keep his record pristine both on the field and off the tee.
After dazzling with a perfect five-from-five in his recent outing, Libbok's boot seems ready for the big leagues. "It’s one area of my game I’ve worked really hard on to get right in the past few months," he shared with the press. His prior struggles with the boot, especially a heartbreaker against Argentina last year, haven't dampened his spirits. Instead, they've fueled his fiery comeback. "I’m just happy I got it right against the Barbarians. My focus now is just to improve on that performance and do my best to get it right going into this Test as well. It is a continuous process working on it. I had a really good week this week kicking to poles and I hope I can build on that."
"Leading up to that game, I didn’t have a good record in kicking for poles,"
he admitted, reflecting on the past. But with kicking duties shifted away in Nelspruit, Libbok found his groove elsewhere on the pitch. "It freed me up to focus more on my open play and executing our plans, driving the team around the park and putting us in a position to score tries. But obviously it’s something you take pride in, and for me it’s about identifying it and making the most of the situation."Despite the heat of competition from flyhalf titans like Handre Pollard and the up-and-coming Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Libbok relishes the challenge. "We’re not seeing it as a battle," he insisted. The trio's rivalry is nothing but beneficial, pushing each to excel. "It’s very healthy competition and it’s obviously good for us all to push each other in training and that helps us get the best out of each other. In that way, we grow as players. It’s nice to work with them and learn from them – how they do things and try to put that into my game. We’re out there every week pushing each other to be better."
As the Boks gear up to dominate the breakdown and command the game, Libbok's journey from the penalty box to the spotlight is one to watch. With his eyes on the posts and his heart in the game, this flyhalf is on a mission to kick it right, every single time.