Reports have begun to emerge that suggest Manie Libbok could be on his way out of South Africa and into a sabbatical spell with a Japanese club.
South African media have reported that the Stormers and Springboks fly-half has already agreed to the terms that would allow him to take a sabbatical, which is expected to last the full duration of a Japanese season. Their club rugby season will begin in December and will finish at the end of May, with teams often asking players to play in some of their warm-up games.
This could mean the 27-year-old is only available for the Stormers for approximately three months, with the United Rugby Championship season scheduled to take place between September and June. If he does join a Japanese team for his sabbatical – of which, none have been named – he may only be available for a very limited period of time in the 2025/26 season. Libbok’s contract is also up at the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
He isn’t the only SA player to have been a target of interest for Japanese rugby, highlighting how sports in Africa are on the rise. Athletes are getting significantly better because of the technology and accessibility that sports have across the continent, which is clearly attracting those from overseas. Paarl Boys’ High twins, centre Tristan and lock Jayden Joubert, are two examples of players who have piqued interest from abroad.
The pair were recently invited to play in Japan with a top club as they aim to try and convince youngsters to join their rugby program and help them improve at the club and international level. The Brave Blossoms are keen to improve their national rugby team, and have been adopting a practice whereby they take youngsters on to try and nurture them into homegrown players. If they achieve this, they’ll be eligible to play Test rugby for the country and be deemed eligible to be considered local players in Japan Rugby League One.
There is no guarantee that the twins will remain in Japan, with centre Ethan Adams and lock AJ Meyer both deciding to remain in South Africa after being approached. Still, it would seem the more experienced Libbok is prepared to make the switch.
Could Libbok benefit from a move to Japan?
Libbok may find that he could benefit from a move to Japan after suffering a Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) injury in January. He picked up the injury while playing in the game between the Stormers and Leinster in a URC clash at the Aviva Stadium.
Since then, he has been recovering from the issue, eyeing a potential return before the end of the URC campaign. By avoiding surgery and working hard, it looks as though that could be achieved. It is thought he could be in contention to play in the two final games of the campaign, with the potential to play against the Dragons. However, he is expected to be available for the game against Cardiff.
Still, a sabbatical move for Libbok to Japan could be what the fly-half needs at this point in his career, and it could be one that is worth exploring seriously.
