OPINION: Massive few weeks for Manie Libbok

Manie Libbok may well be the most important member of the 33-man Springbok squad selected for this year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

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The Stormers flyhalf is the only true No 10 in coach Jacques Nienaber’s squad.

Damian Willemse is better suited to the fullback role and you’d be wise not to buy what Nienaber is selling about Faf de Klerk being an option at pivot – or any of the other scrumhalves selected for that matter.

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Any injury to Libbok in the remaining two warm-up matches against Wales on Saturday, 19 August and New Zealand on Friday, 25 August could well spell disaster for the Springboks’ hopes of defending the Webb Ellis Cup.

The failure of Handre Pollard to overcome his injury has thrown a spanner in the works.

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Libbok will start at flyhalf against the Welsh in Cardiff this weekend and six days later will no doubt start once again against the All Blacks at Twickenham in London as Nienaber finalises his best 23-man squad to face Scotland in their opening World Cup clash on Sunday, 10 September.

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While the Tests against Wales and New Zealand are not ‘must win’ encounters, the clash against Scotland could well prove to be. Defeat would likely mean a win-or-go-home match against Ireland later in Pool B.

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An injury or a wayward day with the boot by Libbok against Wales and / or New Zealand will give even the most die-hard of Springbok supporters the jitters.

Worryingly perhaps, Libbok has only started three of his seven Tests to date and never against a team ranked in the Top 5 in the latest World Rugby rankings.

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Should Elton Jantjies perhaps have been included among the list of replacements instructed to keep fit in case of an injury emergency?

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Who in your opinion is the most important player in the 33-man Springbok squad?

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SPRINGBOK TEAM TO FACE WALES

15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff 

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Duane Vermeulen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Damian Willemse

Kick-off is at 16:15 (SA time).