Being without Manie might work for Stormers
New Springbok Manie Libbok will miss Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup fixture against ASM Clermont-Auvergne but DHL Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman reckons there might be some positive in that.
Libbok was lost to the Stormers in the first quarter of the 28-14 win over London Irish at the Gtech Community Stadium last Sunday after being concussed in the stand up tackle that saw Ben Loader red carded.
It doesn’t look like Libbok will be out for long, with Snyman describing his condition as “fine”, but the remainder of the London Irish game gave a hint of what losing Libbok might mean for the Stormers.
Capped for the Boks when he played as a replacement flyhalf in the test matches against France, Italy and England on the recent tour of Europe, Libbok is an important cog in the Stormers machine due to the X-factor he brings to their attacking game with his passing and ability to kick off both feet.
Junior Springbok Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu, a young player who was part of the Bok squad in the November tour but wasn’t capped, replaced Libbok for the last 62 minutes of the London Irish game and he is a player with a promising future.
However, there was a perception that the Stormers lost their attacking shape and rhythm after Libbok went off.
Head coach John Dobson has the option of trying Mngomezulu in the starting position in the home clash against Clermont at the DHL Stadium on Saturday, but there are other options, including Kade Wolhuter, another richly talented young flyhalf, or perhaps Damian Willemse, who wore the No10 jersey for the Boks in November.
“I am a utility back so I see it as my role to play flyhalf for the Stormers if needed but we will have to wait until the team is announced at a squad training session tomorrow (Thursday),” said Willemse in an online press conference on Wednesday.
TEST FLYHALF DEPTH
If Willemse did play flyhalf we could well see Mngomezulu playing at inside centre. If Wolhuter starts at 10, we could see Willemse move to inside centre from the fullback position he occupied in London, and Mngomezulu or Clayton Blommetjies at fullback. Whatever happens though, the Stormers aren’t panicking.
“It is a challenge to be going without Manie but it is something we have to do and it is a good time maybe to adjust to playing without him being present,” said attack coach Snyman.
“It is a big challenge for us both as a team and for the players who might have to stand in for him as Manie is an important player for us. But at some stage we might have to be without him and that might be in a semi-final or a final. We need depth in that position and we need to see what the other players can do and allow them an opportunity to get used to the responsibility so this is and opportunity.”
Wolhuter, who was seen as a future Bok star when he made his senior debut at 19 but was then unfortunately cut down by a long-term injury, excelled in the No10 jersey when he played there for the Stormers against Scarlets in a Vodacom United Rugby Championship game late last year.
There was a feeling beforehand that his difference from Libbok, who tends to play much closer to the gainline, might hinder the Stormers, but that didn’t prove the case in a match where he stood tall.
While Snyman is correct in saying it is a good time for the Stormers to test their flyhalf depth, that is no the same as saying that this is not such an important game for the Cape side due to the fact that they have pretty much qualified for the last 16 in the Heineken Cup.
Although it is theoretically still possible for the Stormers to miss out, it appears highly unlikely, as all they need is a bonus point or, alternatively, not to lose by a big score. They haven’t lost at their home ground since December 2021.
However, Snyman says the management and players are all very aware of what is on the line in this game.
“We know that we need to win to ensure home ground advantage in the next round and preferably we must get maximum points, and that is a big motivation for us this week as the result of this game will determine how difficult or hard it will be beyond this stage,” said Snyman.
The Stormers only returned from their latest overseas trip on Tuesday and Snyman stressed that as recovery is important there won’t be many training sessions this week.
However, the travel back home from the two game trip to Glasgow and London was easier than the outward journey for although they did travel via Qatar, they had a direct flight from Doha to Cape Town.
“It was a bit easier as we did not have the extra domestic flights on either side of the journey on the way home,” said the Stormers assistant coach.
?? Expect an extra spark in the air at DHL Stadium on Saturday with @ChampionsCup play-off places at stake.
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) January 18, 2023
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