Watch: Siya Kolisi hails ‘general’ Manie Libbok
The Bok captain throws his support behind the man tasked to don the number 10 shirt after questions were again asked about his goal kicking.
Captain Siya Kolisi brushed off concerns around Manie Libbok’s goal kicking after the fly-half missed three shots at goal for the Boks against Scotland yesterday.
Tries from Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kurt-Lee Arendse steered the Springboks to a 18-3 victory to open their World Cup campaign in Marseille.
Also read: Sharp defence cut ‘slippery’ Scots – Nienaber
While it did not affect the result in the end, the issue of Libbok’s goal kicking consistency raised its head again as he missed three attempts, before scrumhalf Faf de Klerk relieved him of the duty.
Otro de los nombres a brillar en la #RWC2023: Kurt-Lee Arendse. 🇿🇦🔥
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— ScrumRugby (@ScrumESPN) September 10, 2023
“This question about missing kicks gets asked a lot, but we play as a team,” Kolisi said.
“Sometimes you are not good at one thing on the day, but the way he attacked today and how he took control and how he was a general among us. There are other guys who can kick.
“He is not going to be good at everything every single day. We are working as a group.”
In a tight game at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, two Libbok penalties to one from Finn Russell made it just 6-3 at half-time. The Springboks struggled to capitalise on their dominance in the first half, but came out guns blazing in the second period.
“We didn’t start with the intensity that we normally want to bring. The conversations were clear and anything they (coaches) say we already knew as we tell each other the same,” Kolisi said.
“We came out for the second half with that kind of energy.”
Read original story on www.sarugbymag.co.za
