By Lucky Vince Pienaar
Despite a nervy and costly performance by Manie Libbok in Santiago del Estero on Saturday, Rassie Erasmus has retained Libbok in the critically important position of flyhalf for the Springboks.
Libbok will wear the number 10 jersey while Handré Pollard starts on the bench for the Rugby Championship match against Argentina on Saturday in Mbombela.
This is perhaps what Rassie should have done last week—keeping Pollard in reserve as Libbok’s very own one-man bomb squad.
As the forwards’ bomb squad has always been kept in reserve in case things go wrong, Pollard is on the bench if Libbok loses his nerve again. However, this doesn’t automatically mean Pollard will replace Libbok on the field.
Pollard could very well be brought on at centre, at the expense of Lukhanyo Am or Jesse Kriel. There is also a remote possibility that Pollard could replace Aphelele Fassi at fullback.
Any of these moves would weaken the Boks’ defence, and it’s a safe bet that the Argentinians will target the Springbok backline, particularly at the centres.
Jaden Hendrikse starts in the number 9 jersey, meaning Libbok will get fast and accurate service from behind the scrum. He can also take over the kicking duties, freeing up Libbok to do what he is good at.
Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Jasper Wiese form arguably the best loose-forward combination in the country (if not the world). The nation will be watching to see if Libbok can inject the much-needed speed in both tight and loose phases.
The Rugby Championship is far from over. What could have been a dead rubber in Mbombela is very much alive. Argentina need to win big against the Boks, and they are capable of doing it. They have already triumphed over Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa last week.
On the other hand, this is the last Springbok match on South African soil for the year, and the team has a point to prove.
Springbok team: Forwards: Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Ruan Nortje, Siya Kolisi (C), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese
Backs: Jaden Hendrikse, Manie Libbok, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, Aphelele Fassi
Bench: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Handré Pollard, Lukhanyo Am
Pictured above: Manie Libbok.
Source: Springboks/X
