By Lucky Vince Pienaar
➤ Paris will forever be remembered as the city where the Springboks made history by beating New Zealand’s All Blacks in last year’s Rugby World Cup final.
It is to the Stade Jean Bouin stadium in the south of Paris that the Stormers return on Saturday to face Stade Francais in bitterly cold conditions.
One man, in particular, may see this as a date with destiny. Manie Libbok certainly played his part in the Springbok victory, although he didn’t play in the World Cup final. Since returning from France and stepping out of Handré Pollard’s shadow, he has grown into a recognised world-class player and also, significantly, as a placekicker.
“It is important to grow and keep on growing. I always want to learn and get better and work on my game,” he told Supersport.
“The growth of the Stormers group as a whole has been amazing.”
➤ After the injury to Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi has had to carry the huge burden of being the hooker for the Springboks virtually on his own — and, by anybody’s standard, he has done a massive job.
But even the best of them need help. And it has appeared in the shape of Stormers hooker Andre-Hugo Venter. Like his famous father André Venter, he is known to be a hard man on and off the rugby field with great ball skills and the speed of a loose forward.
And lurking in the wings is hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels who will surely soon be a candidate for Springbok colours. Not only is he big and strong, but the way he outran the Bristol Bears’ backs to score a long-range try for the Bulls two weeks ago, tells you something about his ball skills and phenomenal speed.
➤ It seems that, for Elton Jantjies, the war is finally over.
After testing positive for Clenbuterol, a drug that bodybuilders use to cut weight and increase muscle mass, the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sports slapped him with a four-year ban in June 2023.
Elton, being Elton, said it was a lie.
“I know there are people out there who doubt my innocence, but I hope to prove you wrong, in due course,” he said.
Sadly, but not surprisingly, the Springbok hasn’t taken his case to the Independent Doping Hearing Panel (IDHP).
It seems that this is the end of a stormy chapter in Springbok history. The ban will expire in 2027 when Jantjies is 37 years old.
Pictured above: Manie Libbok.
Image source: X
