By Lucky Vince Pienaar
Jaden Hendrikse didn’t do much more than an adequate job with his kicking when the Boks beat Los Pumas on Saturday, but it did relieve Manie Libbok from those duties, and he loved it!
It was noticeable that Libbok was more relaxed during the game than he had been in a long time.
As Rassie Erasmus said: “We all need to find a team solution.”
It remains to be seen whether this is a long-term fix for the Springboks’ kicking problems or just a temporary Band-Aid.
The truth is, Hendrikse wasn’t successful with any of the more challenging shots at goal, but it didn’t seem to affect his overall performance. To emphasise his kicking prowess, Handré Pollard’s kicks were absolutely flawless.
Most importantly, not only did we avoid seeing Manie lining up a kick looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights, but we also saw him playing with freedom, creating opportunities out wide.
➤ With their 48-7 victory against Argentina, the Springboks proved that they are certainly in a class of their own—at least among southern hemisphere teams. However, it’s important to note that five of their seven tries were scored while the Los Pumas had players in the sin bin.
New Zealand referee Ben O’Keefe had a solid game, simply applying the rules, but once again, it highlights the fact that rugby is a game for 15 versus 15 players.
The 20-minute red card, introduced to reduce the impact of a full-game red card, has arguably worsened the problem.
Watching the valiant Los Pumas being brushed aside with only 13 players on the field was certainly exciting for Bok fans, but it quickly turned the game into a one-sided affair.
World Rugby, please find a way to sanction players without sending them off the field and ruining the contest!
➤ “I love you, my brother!” said Siya Kolisi. “I can’t wait to tell my grandkids that I played with Eben Etzebeth.”
Etzebeth and Kolisi have been best friends since they first played together as teenagers, and it couldn’t have been a more fitting moment for Siya to speak in front of the Mbombela crowd after Etzebeth’s record-breaking 128th appearance in the Bok jersey.
Pictured above: Manie Libbok against Argentina.
Source: Springboks/X
