Manie Libbok will return to South African rugby with the Hollywoodbets Sharks from July 2027, signing a multi-year deal after his current stint with Kintetsu Liners in Japan. The 29-year-old had been contracted to the Stormers until 2027 before being released early at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Libbok first played for the Sharks before his career took flight at the Stormers from 2021, where he was part of the side that won the inaugural URC title in 2022. A return to Cape Town had been mooted once he finished in Japan, but with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu locked in until 2029 and 20-year-old Yaqeen Ahmed — the Junior World Championship-winning flyhalf who featured on the recent Bok tour — also on John Dobson's books, that door effectively closed.
For JP Pietersen, Libbok is a deliberate fit rather than a marquee acquisition for its own sake. The Sharks have teenage fullback Zikethelo Siyaya, Jurenzo Julius and Jaco Williams developing in the backline alongside established Boks André Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker and Edwill van der Merwe, and Libbok's ball-playing ability at ten is seen as central to unlocking that attacking potential. The Sharks also have Junior World Championship winner Vusi Moyo at flyhalf, with Gianni Lombard and Jordan Hendrikse providing further depth while covering fullback.
"Manie is a game changer and playmaker and that is precisely the type of player we need driving our game," said Pietersen. "Fast, physical and relentless isn't just a line for us. It needs players who can bring it to life for us every week and Manie does that. What stood out most when we spoke to him was his hunger. He doesn't just want to join the Hollywoodbets Sharks, he wants to help build something here with the rest of the squad."
Libbok, who turns 30 next July when he arrives in Durban, said he was eager to be part of what he sees as a new era at the club.