Racing 92 sets sights on dashing and daring Libbok

Should Manie Libbok make his way to Racing 92 he will join a long line of distinguished playmaking flyhalves who have donned the highly fashionable Parisian club’s jersey.

Reports linking Libbok to a potential move appeared in Rapport at the weekend, but the Stormers will be desperate to hold on to their playmaker, who was the United Rugby Championship’s (URC) top point-scorer last season.

Libbok, who also leads the point-scoring chart this season, was an integral part of the team that marched to the URC crown in their maiden campaign in that competition last year.

The perennially ambitious French club last month confirmed the services of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi for next season, while fellow Boks utility back Warrick Gelant and prop Trevor Nyakane have already taken up residence in Paris.

The chance to again operate in concert with Gelant may be part of the allure for Libbok. 

Though the Stormers may need some convincing, a transfer fee and a player swap may help smooth the deal for a club with an affinity for playmaking No 10s.

Libbok has been earmarked as a potential replacement for Scotland’s Finn Russell, who will leave the club for Bath after the Rugby World Cup at a reported price tag of £1m a year.

While Racing also have Australian-born Fijian Ben Volavola and Wallaby Kurtley Beale on their books, Libbok seems a good fit for the club.

More often than not they have men with poise and panache in their No 10 jersey. This after all, is a club that in the 1980s was known as “Le Showbizz”, perhaps due to their players’ proclivity for wearing bowties when going onto the field and, on the odd occasion, drinking Champagne at halftime.

Libbok, like Russell, is a highly dexterous, swift-of-mind operator who also possesses a kicking game that teases and torments the opposition. In a similar vein Racing in its recent history had Los Pumas magician Juan Martín Hernández at pivot, while Johnny Sexton, as well as Frans Steyn, Johan Goosen and Pat Lambie did duty for them too.

Well before that the colourful and effervescent Franck Mesnel ran the backline show. Dapper and bold Mesnel brought a cutting edge to first receiver as well as inside centre, where he played the bulk of his 56 caps for France.

Libbok is perhaps even more dashing and daring, but either way it is easy to see why the club under former England coach Stuart Lancaster would view him with admiring eyes.