The best decision Manie Libbok ever made was to join the Stormers where coach John Dobson has brought him back to his best through nurturing the flyhalf’s natural ability to make plays, writes MARK KEOHANE.
A schoolboy prodigy, Libbok has helped the Stormers progress to a second consecutive Vodacom United Rugby Championship final, and will be pivotal to the defending champions’ plans to beat Munster in Cape Town on Saturday.
In his TimesLIVE column, Keohane argues that the three-Test Springbok, who played just 45 matches in six years for the Vodacom Bulls and Sharks, will have been bouncing from club to club in Europe or worse, slipped out of professional rugby were it not for the intervention of Dobson.
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“Dobson’s advice to Libbok was simple yet revolutionary: Play your own game. Trust your instincts. Unleash the No 10 that enthralled crowds at the U16, U18 and U20 levels,” Keohane writes.
“Dobson’s assurance and belief in Libbok’s inherent skills was instrumental in unlocking his potential. He saw Libbok as the missing piece in the Stormers puzzle and backed him to play his natural game, unencumbered by rigid systems or demands.
“Libbok’s saga should serve as a cautionary tale for future prodigies. Finding the right culture fit is not just a choice, it’s an absolute necessity.
“If the saga of Libbok has taught us anything, it’s that rugby prodigies must not merely find a club that values them, but one that truly understands and nurtures their unique skill set.”
Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images
Stormers do it again, according to @mark_keohane and Zels! @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/rMeVhNk1Xj
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) May 26, 2023