South Africa flyhalf Manie Libbok faces England on Saturday in the Nations Championship at Ellis Park, a Johannesburg stadium where his last appearance brought personal torment.
A 2025 Rugby Championship match against Australia began splendidly for the Springboks and Libbok as they built a 22-point first-quarter lead.
But Australia scored 38 unanswered points against the Rugby World Cup title-holders for a first win at Ellis Park since 1963.
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus insisted the blame should be shared
Social media had other ideas. One Springbok supporter after another blamed the collapse on playmaker Libbok.
He committed mistakes, but so did his teammates. However, for many Springbok followers, Libbok was the fall guy.
With first choice fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu injured, Handre Pollard off form and Vusi Moyo, 20, inexperienced, it was inevitable that Libbok would start against England.
At his best, Libbok is a creative genius, the architect of many Springbok tries. He finds space where none seems to exist. He jinks through the tightest defences.
But a key element in the repertoire of a Springbok flyhalf is goal kicking. That is where Libbok often fails. His goal kicking is modest at best, disastrous on an off-day.
Should he flop against England, South Africa could switch to wing Cheslin Kolbe. He succeeded with nine of 11 conversions of varying difficulty last month against the Barbarians.
Explaining his choice of Libbok, Erasmus told reporters: “Manie is always very fit and we had one week longer to prepare with him than with Handre.
“We think he is suitable for this match. If the game opens up — which I think England will try to do — Manie is the right guy for that situation.”
The contrast between the teams is stark. South Africa are on an eight-match winning streak since losing in New Zealand last September.
‘Freak’ Nche
They have won 23 of 27 Tests since achieving back-to-back World Cup titles by edging the All Blacks in the 2023 final in Paris.
England travelled to Johannesburg having lost their previous four Tests. After walloping Wales in a Six Nations opener, they fell to Scotland, Ireland Italy and France.
Scrumming is a key factor for South Africa. Awesome set-piece power has delivered two World Cups, the 2024 and 2025 Rugby Championship titles and a world No. 1 ranking.
Former England No. 8 Nick Easter calls Springbok loosehead Ox Nche, successor to the legendary Beast Mtawarira, a “freak”.
“Without parity at the scrums England have no chance and the man in their way is a freak,” he says.
“Nche is built low, around five foot eight against tightheads of six foot three, with the genetics the job ask for.
“He shuts the channel so the tighthead cannot cannot get round him, and links through his hooker so the whole left sides goes forward together.”
The front-row showdown, pitting Nche, hooker Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit against Ellis Genge, captain Jamie George and Joe Heyes, promises to be a fascinating cameo.
Benches can play a key role as Tests drift into the final quarter and the Springboks have ‘hybrid’ Andre Esterhuizen, who operates as a centre and a loose forward.
The England replacements include flanker Henry Pollock, who is disliked by many South African rugby supporters. They consider his bubbly personality “arrogant”.
A concern for the South African Rugby Union ahead of the match is slow ticket sales, Only 20,000 were reportedly sold going into the match week. Ellis Park can accommodate 62 000 spectators.
Anticipated cold winter weather, tickets costing up to 3 000 rand (160 euros) in a country with a cost-of-living crisis and the counter attraction of World Cup football are possible causes.
