The Springboks have backed flyhalf Manie Libbok to bring them their first Rugby Championship title since 2019 on Saturday despite coming under heavy criticism this past weekend.
Libbok will start alongside scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse for the deciding Test against Argentina at Mbombela Stadium (5pm start).
While Los Pumas are still in the running to win the title, South Africa only need one point from the clash to be crowned champions.
It will add the Rugby Championship trophy to the Freedom Cup and Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate they already won against New Zealand and Australia respectively during the 2024 edition of the southern-hemisphere competition.
Libbok has been heavily criticised over the last few days after missing a crucial late penalty in last weekend’s 29-28 defeat to Los Pumas in Santiago del Estero.https://t.co/ErYcyYDV63
— Cape Times (@CapeTimesSA) September 24, 2024
Libbok made two critical errors – first not kicking a ball into touch for a lineout, and then a relatively straightforward penalty goal attempt last weekend – that ultimately saw the Boks lose by a single point in Santiago del Estero to set up the decider.
But it was missed tackles, poor discipline and some wayward lineouts that contributed mostly to the 29-28 undoing of the South Africans, who had a healthy lead at the beginning of the clash.
The Boks have the opportunity to set things right this weekend, and head coach Rassie Erasmus bolstered his side with some double World Cup winners returning after being rested.
Erasmus made nine changes and a positional switch yesterday to the side for the all-important duel with a much-improved Los Pumas since former star player Felipe Contepomi took over as head coach.
Erasmus explained the backing of Libbok and bringing the rested stars back this weekend.
“We certainly have made some plans, and the way we want to play, Manie is integral to that this weekend.”
“The only way to get a guy like him through this is to get him back on the horse,” Erasmus said at his team announcement.
“We certainly have made some plans, and the way we want to play, Manie is integral to that this weekend. We have made some other plans with the goal-kicking as well.
“As a team, we had a little laugh about the memes and stuff that went around.
“We see it as people who haven’t gone through that and felt that kind of pressure, and don’t know how tough it is.
“We totally understand the criticism ... he takes it on the chin. We as a coaching staff take it on the chin.
“It’s not just up to him to find solutions for his goal-kicking – it is something we have to do as a team, and we are working on a plan.”
Record-breaker Eben Etzebeth will move from the bench to the starting fray, and he will eclipse the record of Victor Matfield when he runs on to play his 128th Test in the Green-and-Gold.
He equalled the record last weekend, but will become the sole holder in Mbombela.
Front-rowers Frans Malherbe and Bongi Mbonambi, and loose forwards Pieter-Steph du Toit and Siya Kolisi, are the other double World Cup winners back in the side.
Kolisi will captain the team after spending time in the coach's box in Argentina.
The Boks’ most successful midfield combination is also reunited, with Damian de Allende joining outside centre Jesse Kriel at the back.
Erasmus backed two-time world champions flyhalf Handré Pollard, midfielder Lukhanyo Am, and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach to bring the backline experience off the bench.
“None of these guys have held the cup of a full version.”
“Our plan is to win. We lost one game in the Rugby Championship by one point, and we now have the opportunity at home. None of these guys have held the cup of a full version (the Boks won an abbreviated version in 2019), so we are going out to win and not to try and stop them,” Erasmus said.
“We would like to retain the number one spot (which the Boks lost to Ireland last weekend), but we’ve created depth in the tournament, against Wales and Portugal (this year).
A tough outing in Argentina, but we have one week to fix it...#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/UkrpIptfXG
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 22, 2024
“We capped 11 players in Cape Town who made their debut this year. So, we are trying to build that depth. When the other (injured) players are back for the tour at the end of the year, that will make things interesting.
“But I’d rather have that (selection) problem than the one in 2019, when we were scraping for players.”
Springbok Team
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Elrigh Louw, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Lukhanyo Am.