OPINION: Emergence of Arendse, Libbok a big Bok boost ahead of 2023 World Cup

The brilliant performances of Manie Libbok and Kurt-Lee Arendse against Italy on Saturday has suddenly boosted the Springboks standing ahead of their World Cup defence in France in 2023.

Arendse started Saturday’s Test against Italy, while Libbok came off the bench early in the second half, and both players put in action packed performances to show their growing worth in the Springbok setup.

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Before the match Arendse was already highly regarded, with him having unseated Makazole Mapimpi for the number 11 jersey for the French and Italy games.

He then proceeded to basically cement himself as the preferred left wing for the coming world cup year, running in two fantastic tries and setting one up, with a fantastic performance of running rugby.

With right wing Cheslin Kolbe unavailable for the game against England this coming weekend, which falls outside the Test window, Arendse will be expected to shift back to the position he featured most in earlier in the season, while Mapimpi should return to his left wing berth.

Wing is now an absolutely stacked department for the Boks, as young Canan Moodie, who was ruled out of the tour through injury, will definitely be in the mix next year, as will Bulls speedster Sbu Nkosi.

Libbok boost

Libbok was the biggest boost to the Boks however, and could be the exact answer that the coaching staff was looking for in their flyhalf crisis.

This season has seen regular first and second choice flyhalves Handre Pollard and Elton Jantjies largely unavailable due to injury and off the field problems respectively, which has led to Damian Willemse, and even Frans Steyn filling in the position.

Willemse is a brilliant utility back and has ably stepped into the flyhalf role, but Libbok’s performance against Italy, when Willemse shifted to the right wing after Kolbe pulled up with what looked to be a hamstring injury, was immaculate.

Libbok showed exactly what an out and out flyhalf can produce, with a sublime attacking performance, as he pulled the strings in the second half helping the Boks run in a string of tries.

It would be well worth giving Libbok a start against England, to see how he handles the pressure in the cauldron of Twickenham.

Although Jantjies’ position in the Bok setup is up in the air, if Pollard can stay fit next year, along with Libbok and Johan Goosen, the Bok flyhalf problems could well be a thing of the past going into the World Cup.