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Opinion
Manie Libbok gave us a good idea of what he could do in a Bok jersey. He’s an exceptional support runner with elite back-three pace, pacey breaking lines and a keen understanding of deception to weave outside defensive structures.
His performance against Argentina showed us he is the heir apparent. In fact, he could be the enigmatic attacking figurehead of game breaking that ignites them to history.
However, if you want to win a World Cup in 2023, you must fully utilise the attributes of your pivot. And Manie Libbok, like I mentioned before, is a structural sorcerer.
While he can run a flyhalf-type cutter, I still feel his passing range, pacey breaking lines and running threat are best utilised in a floating midfielder position-in many ways suiting the play structure the Springboks are adopting.
https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxox7ZjTDr5ti7jYvhrdYjuW8MSn2GT7TZ
Here, he takes the ball from an initial forward handler, poses a threat and throws a lovely long ball out wide, creating a great break.
This is a crucial element to Manie Libbok’s game, as he can then float around as a attacking player, getting long passes out from the scrumhalf to be able to work his magic without being anchored to playing a lynchpin role.
This means more game running has to come off the 9. Not in a rolling sequence of pod crashes, rather using the 9 to stretch and thin a defense in the manner a 10 usually does. Instead of barking orders, he gets to float wide, shift into space and prime the missiles for firing.
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxFMVwEwtI5WwVUafoA2VZaJGDPHxnzHI5
Poetry in motion sparks from his each move, as his silky skills and dazzling footwork slices top defenses open with flair.
While the direct decisiveness and precision of Pollard plays into an integrated structure, Libbok requires a much more clean-cut system, with at most two layers of attack. His wide midfield positioning relies on the passing range of his nine to give him the wide pass, where he can really create magic with hand, boot, and feet.
His delayed decision-making and silky ball handling have to be optimised through the use of a stripped down attack that gives him the liberty to make the break and assist.
Manie Libbok of South Africa (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
The use of a forward pod is crucial to take out the tight defenders, granting him isolations to work his brilliance.
Libbok feeds off the compressions created by the 1-3-3-1(3-3-X), where he can use his agility and pace to slice around when the chance opens itself. This is the modern type of 10, a 15-type sidestepping, pass-flicking, and kick-stabbing genius who carves around the congested regions.
While the 10 used to be the key link, with Libbok he has to be able to float wider, with other players to take up his playmaking touches at first receiver. We are starting to see that with Wille Le Roux assuming the Pollard role of a lynchpin.
Libbok needs a looser system, with just one screen pod at a time and be able to get the ball in space, without having to run the cutter from the front.
If so, he could play a Lionel Messi role, being able to challenge slice through the key spots of the defense and unravel them.
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