Dobson: Magical Manie proven Stormers worth
10/25/2024 06:25 AM
John Dobson has expressed his excitement at unleashing a Springbok playmaking trio for the DHL Stormers for the first time this season against Glasgow Warriors on Saturday.
Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse, and Warrick Gelant will start together in the same lineup for the first time this Vodacom URC season in the clash with the defending champions in Stellebosch.
The trio will spearhead the Stormers’ attack at the Danie Craven Stadium as Dobson looks to inject further dynamism and versatility into his backline.
The return of Libbok, fresh from a mandatory three-week rest following his role in the Springboks' successful Rugby Championship campaign, brings a critical component back into the mix.
His presence in the No 10 jersey will allow Willemse to shift to inside centre, while Gelant provides his characteristic creative flair from fullback.
“Those three guys are really special, whether you call them playmakers or game-breakers," Dobson said
"At every breakdown, when we are on attack, two of them are on one side, and that’s going to put any defence under pressure. With kick space, with their attacking kicks, their vision and communication, two of them will always be in backfield, which helps us with our transition play.
“All three are good under the high ball, as well as Ruhan [Nel] and [Leolin] Zas, so it’s going to make it really challenging for Glasgow, rather than just the two."
The reunion of Libbok, Willemse, and Gelant for a home fixture marks their first start together in front of the Stormers faithful since a clash with Leinster last April.
Dobson is eager to see how the three will combine and hinted at the tantalising prospect of adding Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to the mix as he recovers.
“It really is exciting, when you consider we’ve still got Sacha coming back. We want to get all four on the park. It’s going to be a new way of play for us, a new way of attacking. Let's see what it looks like,” he added.
Dobson confirmed that Libbok will take back the goalkicking responsibilities, after Willemse scored 14 points with the boot in the bonus-point victory over Munster in Cape Town.
We’ve had positive experiences with Manie as a goalkicker. We want to stick with him. He has won us all sorts of games with his kicks,” he said.
“He had a tough one in the quarter-final at Scotstoun, but then again, there was a 40-knot wind coming over the top of the roof there. So we will go with Manie. I think he has proven his value to us over the years, so we will stick with him.”
Dobson is keenly aware of the upcoming demands facing his Springbok contingent, with Libbok and fellow returning stalwart Frans Malherbe set to tour with the national team in November.
“They are both keen to play. We always want our guys to be well-rested, but their next game could be against Scotland on the overseas tour. So a guy like Frans probably wants a game to get ready for that, having had three weeks off.
“This has been the big rest period, what they call colloquially as the ‘beer and braai’, no rugby whatsoever. To go from that, straight into a Test match in Edinburgh…they actually want to play a bit. Last week was the last of that mandatory three-week break.”
Photo: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile via Getty Images
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