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Libbok sends message to kicking critics amid contest with 'world class' Pollard
By Josh Raisey
Going into the World Cup, there was a question mark over fly-half Manie Libbok’s kicking, and that question has not necessarily been answered as the tournament has progressed.
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The 26-year-old looked to have turned a corner against the All Blacks in South Africa’s final match before the World Cup, but the loss to Ireland at the Stade de France opened that wound again. Handre Pollard was drafted into the Springboks’ World Cup squad soon after and could well start against France this Sunday in the quarter-finals due to his superior goal kicking percentage. He is not the best kicker in the world, but many feel he is the more reliable option with the boot than the Stormers No10.
But Libbok does not seem to be paying any attention to the outside chatter surrounding his kicking, rather he is solely focusing on himself and improving.
“I don’t watch what is going on in the media,” he said this week. “I know what criticism is out there when it comes to my kicking but for me I am focusing on myself. I am focusing on getting it right, it is something I have to get right especially at this level where the margins are so small. I am just working hard and trying to get it right.”
Though the 2019 World Cup winning fly-half Pollard is breathing down Libbok’s neck ahead of the France clash, the 12-cap Springbok says it is “awesome” having his “world class” teammate in camp.
He said: “First and foremost it is nice to have Handre back in the camp. Him and I work nicely together, we pick each other up. It’s awesome to work with him. It doesn’t matter who is going to start. If he is going to play, if I am going to play. I know he’ll do a good job, a great job. He is a world class player, he has been there and done that so for me it’s awesome to have him back in the camp. He helps me a lot and we work nicely together.”
There’s a category of SA supporters who will hate on certain SA players - no matter their form, no matter their substance and no matter what they do.
It usually has something to do with some unconscious bias. Things like which province they’re from (“province” or “Stormers” for example), whose place they’re threatening (“the nostalgic” / “past World Cup winner” / “Blue bulls darling”). Sadly, I’d even say there are other more sinister reasons for this bias. You know exactly who you are…
But anyone hating on Manie Libbok, who doesn’t recognize that he is our best 10 at the moment and has stepped up to international level and done what he was asked to do in filling big shoes - is just ignorant.
Name me a better option at 10 and stop dissing Libbok.
Stop throwing kicking percentages into the argument (which can’t be argued). I want names - who should have been played at 10 up to now in Pollard’s absence? Who else should have been developed into the 10 position for the boks over the past few months?
Not so long ago there was a fair amount of noise about the lack of depth at 10. And, even, Pollards OVERALL form (at times his kicking percentages even too).
For his experience and the number of caps coming into this World Cup, Libbok has been a revelation. Full stop.
If I could draw this out in pictures I would…
I’ll try say it in simple language:
If you don’t like Libbok - who do you like (besides Pollard).
You don’t build depth by not taking a chance on a player. Who would you have taken the chance on?
Bernard. Read what Daniel Carter said about Pollard and not your French buddies. Pollard is a match winner.
France has every advantage playing at home but just maybe they come unstuck. Going to be a tight call either way.
Interesting that Pollard is on the bench. I would have preferred that but will go with Rassie and Jacques.
Would love to see the Boks bring their A game. Building the necessary platform to set the backs up.
I may be totally wrong but this French team has weaknesses, as was shown by the Irish not so long ago. The only real problem the Boks have is the French home advantage.
The knock out stages are always a lottery. Any 2 of the A and B groups could go through to the semi's. I doubt that any of the qualifiers from the C & D groups will progress beyond the semi's.
The SA IRE match was played like a knock out match for one reason. You do not want to be playing France at home in a QTR final.
NZ Started their match against FRA like their win against SA in Smart stadium but it wasn’t nearly enough: dealt with by France even though they left Telea acres for both NZ tries.
The route to the final was through the slightly less perilous route via NZ. If they couldn’t beat Ireland in Paris with their best shot they ain’t gonna beat France there. Expect a statement from France on Sunday.
Who wants to play the all blacks? Ever?
Neither are an easy prospect by any stretch. But someone has made a very clever comment about the route to the final after beating France being nicer.
Boks by 10. Thers’s your statement.
Boks win Sunday, Ireland beat NZ ,final Boks Vs Ireland -Boks victory
Would you rather play France in a 1/4 F or the final?
Comparing the all blacks losing to France to how boks might fair is a silly comparison for 2 reasons. Firstly boks smashed all blacks just before they played France. Granted this was helped by cards but the cards came off relentless pressure. And secondly and mainly NZ and boks play complete opposite game styles so to use one as a yard stick for the other is just stupid.
I’m sorry but I dont agree. Do you remember when France were booed off the field by their own fans at Stade de France when they played the Boks and England because of there poor performance. There is every chance that this will happen again. Besides NZ, who have France played that is anything in the RWC like the Boks or Ireland. They have played a bunch of minnows with cricket scores. That happened to NZ in a RWC and they got thumped in the quarters and there is every chance this can happen to France.
Pollard is a very good kicker.
But remains a very average FH on the whole.
When he arrived in Montpellier after WC 19 triumph, many Frenchmen including myself were expecting wonders, which never happened.
Misadaptation to French life and or club in and off field culture ?
I’ve discussed the topic with fans I’m close to and everybody settled that Pollard would be less of a threat than Libbok, even when taking into account his higher kicking stats
well the quarter final did not show that.
This comment is a great example
how one can be so right and so wrong at the same time.
Maybe France is just a realyy crap place to have to live?
Agree that Manie is more exciting / threatening on attack, but Pollard’s defense is better than Manie’s. Aki not likely to have made that break with Pollard there.
Knockout rugby is NORMALLY much more conservative - field position and possession win. Looks like we can expect wetter conditions, so less risky distribution, bigger fly half (20 kg) every time.
4/4 Bench.
What amazes me is the so called tier 2 Team kickers have better goal kicking percentages. The Old Boks 10 Naas Botha why can’t he assist …this bloke is talented but woeful in his kicks. Goal kicks win World cups and if not corrected will be a very expensive lesson to leave Pollard out. MissBok should look at practicisng more and refine his technique. He will become ExBok, or TheBok. Lets see what he becomes.
Ken jy vir Lap? Lap Kak.
Naas? I think we could do even better than Naas. I mean, he’s what. 100 years old?
And those were such clever little wordplays using Libboks name like that. I think we are in the midst of a true genius.
He’s got a dreadful low percentage kicking technique. So he kicks goals at a low percentage. A liability the Boks could do without.
Yet he was the highest point scorer in the URC by about 80 points?
The Boks have fallen into a deep crevice from which they'll be absolute Houdini's to crawl out of.
Rassie clearly now gathering himself to provide his next intensely comprehensive you tube review of the match officials. He's clearly lost the plot like bad king Louis, claiming he's up against the French football simulating team, selecting the world's tiniest backup hooker, WADA all over South Africas sitting bodies for non compliance like a cheap suit and a highly inexperienced flyhalf that thinks every match is a baa baa’s exhibition.
How France loses from here I've no idea, looking forward to France putting them out of their over planned misery after their shocking goal kicking gifting the win to Ireland.