GETTING A KICK OUT OF IT!

Coach Gareth Wright didn't stop believing in Manie Libbok when his boot failed him and fans wanted him off the pitch - he knew the Bok flyhalf just needed to get his mojo back

-  BY JOY JANUARY PICTURES: CORRIE HANSEN

'THE whistle blows, signalling a penalty for the Springboks. Manie Libbok moves towards the posts, and fans across the country hold their breath. Everyone knows he can get the ball through the posts but will he? At home in Cape Town, Gareth Wright can't watch the TV when Manie is preparing to take a shot at goal.

"I'll go for a walk in the garden," he says. "I can't bear it, you know?"

These aren't just the nerves of any Springbok supporter - Gareth knows Manie better than most and he knows how hard he works. He's been the 28-year-old flyhalf's kicking coach at the Stormers for the past few years and he's a mainstay when things get tough.

It's a lot harder to watch on TV than to stand on the pitch giving Manie some instructions, Gareth tells YOU. Especially since he knows all too well how hurtful the criticism against Manie can be when it comes to missed chances.

When Manie's boot failed during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, there were many fans who wanted him off the pitch and out of the team.

Just about everyone had something to say about his kicking game and his place in the squad and it was hard for the star playmaker, Gareth says.

"It was sad to see him go through that dark time. Every kicker at international level knows that roller-coaster experience, the highs and lows of the game.

"Fortunately he had mentors like Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber who believed in him." Gareth also never stopped believing Manie's boot would get the job done and he was always there to encourage him whenever he needed him.

"You're a good kicker," he'd tell him.