What is that old saying? Hero to zero, or zero to hero? Manie Libbok is capable of doing both, with his past two games at the DHL Stormers’ home ground in Greenpoint being perfect examples of the wild swings the flyhalf can have in both his form and in the public and media perception of him.
After the narrow loss to Munster three weeks earlier, the Stormers faithful were left muttering about the points that were left on the table through Libbok’s inconsistent afternoon from the kicking tee.
And it wasn’t an exaggeration to suggest that Libbok’s missed kicks cost the Stormers victory and ultimately second place on the final Vodacom United Rugby Championship log.
After all, the Stormers only lost by two to Munster, and they ended on the same number of log points as second placed Ulster, only being pushed to third because they’d scored one fewer win.
But then on the day where it was do or die for the Stormers, the first playoff game of the URC Finals Series, Libbok stood up to produce a sublime performance that easily earned him the man of the match award on a day when virtually every Stormers player was outstanding.
His kicking confidence might arguably have returned when he kicked a conversion from the touchline in his previous game, the last league game against Benetton in Stellenbosch.
He’d missed a few, but with the later kicks he hit his groove and proved what coach John Dobson had said about him after the Munster game: “We didn’t consider turning to another kicker because Manie has discovered an ability to put the mistakes behind. We saw it last year when he won the semifinal for us against Ulster with a conversion from the touchline.”
Indeed, everyone was saying that Libbok had choked in that game. At least until he got it right under the most unbearable pressure at the end. Then he was a hero, and he was a hero again against the Bulls, who he tormented with ball in hand and with his ability to find space behind them in addition to a perfect kicking performance from the tee.
DEDICATED KICKING COACH AND SOFT LOVE
“There's been a bit of noise around him for the last few weeks. He was not a test flyhalf this morning, but tomorrow he will be,” said Dobson.
“The growth in Manie from where we were when he came here, he had that ability to spiral, and lots of players do. Now, he's got that ability to put things behind him. He is very mature like that.
“Last year in Durban, when we drew with the Sharks, he spiralled downwards after making mistakes and everything went worse and worse. But he has fixed that and manages to stay in the fight, he turned that into a positive trait.”
It was done with the help of the Stormers’ dedicated kicking coach Gareth Wright, and with a bit of soft love from Dobson, who refused to harangue him for the mistakes he made on off days.
Which begs a question - is it really in Libbok’s best interest to leave the Stormers in favour of foreign currency in France, something he is understood to be considering?
Possibly not, for the Stormers might be as good a fit for Libbok as he is for them, and another coach might not be quite as adept as Dobson at bringing out the best in him and making him comfortable.
Libbok will certainly be as missed as much for his pace and strike power with ball in hand, the time on the ball which strangely enough reminds some of those of us who remember back that far of another Stormers legend, Bob Skinstad, and the way he draws defenders as his kicking ability if he does leave.
There again, if he continues to perform like he did against the Bulls, maybe the Stormers should empty a mint to pay him what he wants…