During an action-packed round of Champions Cup competition this past weekend, one of the most unfortunate sights was that of Manie Libbok needing to be stretchered from the field during the latter stages of the Stormers’ game against Toulon.
Libbok was forced from the field after he was on the receiving end of a sickening tackle by Toulon replacement Yannick Youyoutte, who was subsequently red-carded for his actions.
The Springbok and Stormers flyhalf was immediately knocked out after the high tackle, and it has since been confirmed that he was rushed to hospital, with no further updates having been provided on his condition.
“Manie is very bad – he’s gone to hospital, normal concussion you don’t go straight to hospital…” Stormers coach John Dobson commented after the game.
“If you look at the nature of the injuries … we’re not doing soft tissue injuries, it’s trauma injuries. It’s a bit like frogs in the pot – when you look up and it’s suddenly boiling you realise all those guys are out, and it’s tough.”
You can see the tackle that left Manie Libbok in hospital below:
Besides the injury to Libbok, the Stormers’ Keke Morabe also sustained a serious injury, Ben-Jason Dixon suffered a concussion and Ruben van Heerden picked up a knock.
“The truth is we are running out of cattle,” Dobson admitted. “It’s a sore changing room, two guys are in hospital. It was a brutal game.
“Keke has fractured his leg again (for the second time) in nine months, which is really tough. I think it’s the same one but I might be wrong.
“I think while we’re in pain now and it’s tough, this Stormers group will be a lot better off for the experience after the last couple of weeks with the depths we’ve gone to, and we’re not backing away,” he added.
What are your views on this spate of injuries?
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Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/springboks/stormers-coach-reacts-to-trauma-injury-suffered-by-libbok/