Matfield: Manie’s probably the best

Victor Matfield says Manie Libbok is the Springboks’ go-to flyhalf if they want to “open it up” against the All Blacks in Baltimore on Saturday.

Libbok was thrust into the third Test at FNB Stadium in the ninth minute when fullback Cheslin Kolbe suffered a broken jaw.

Starting flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu shifted to 15 after returning from an early stint in the sin bin, allowing Libbok to continue at 10 as the world champions claimed a 29-24 victory to take a 2-1 series lead into Saturday’s finale in the USA.

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Speaking on the Rugby Rivals podcast, Matfield said Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who has started all three Tests of the series at flyhalf, is experiencing a more challenging period after an outstanding 2025 Test campaign.

“Sacha has the X factor, he’s going through that second-year syndrome when the first year everything just worked, whereas now he has to work for it.”

Feinberg-Mngomezulu was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on at FNB Stadium, but the former Bok lock was encouraged by his contribution at fullback in the second half.

“He really stepped up, even though he was at 15. Those kicks he had to make and his physicality on defence is unbelievable.”

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But if the Boks want to unleash their attack in Baltimore, Matfield believes Libbok offers something different.

“In Manie we’ve got a 10 that if you want to open it up, I think he’s probably the best,” he said.

“He loves to call for the ball, he loves to get width on attack and we scored both of our tries with him giving those long passes to the outside.”

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Despite that endorsement, Matfield still expects Feinberg-Mngomezulu to remain the Boks’ first-choice flyhalf.

“He just needs to work through this second-year syndrome,” he said. “That always happens because the expectation is so high of him to just go out there and do magic.

“I think he will need to learn how to build pressure and when the opportunity comes, you take it, because he’s got all the skills for that.”

The Springbok team for the fourth Test will be named at 8pm (SA time) on Monday.

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Photo: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images