Bok flyhalf poser: Libbok in inside lane to start against Wallabies at Loftus?

With the news that Springbok flyhalf incumbent Handre Pollard will miss the upcoming Rugby Championship, the world champions need a new No 10 to start against Australia at Loftus Versfeld on 8 July.

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SA Rugby director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, on Tuesday revealed that Pollard will in all likelihood not feature in the upcoming southern hemisphere showpiece.

Pollard is struggling with a calf injury he sustained playing for his English club Leicester Tigers.

This has opened the door for one of Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse and Elton Jantjies to start at pivot against the Wallabies.

Jantjies was recently added to the Bok squad as flyhalf back-up. This was done because, apart from Pollard's calf injury, Willemse was struggling with a knee injury.

Erasmus, however, confirmed on Tuesday that Willemse was raring to go, leaving Bok coach Jacques Nienaber with three flyhalf options.

Libbok, who played three Tests for the Boks in 2022, was outstanding for the Stormers in this season's URC and many pundits have called for his inclusion as starting flyhalf.

Willemse featured more at fullback for the Stormers, but the Bok brains trust is adamant to pick him at flyhalf for the national team.

As things currently stand, Libbok may have the inside lane to start at flyhalf against the Wallabies next weekend. He could have the experienced Jantjies as his back-up, with Willemse possibly part of a contingent of Boks travelling earlier to New Zealand.

The Boks hinted that they may utilise two squads in the 2023 Rugby Championship. They employed a similar split-squad tactic when they last won the Rugby Championship in 2019, also a World Cup year.

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