Manie Libbok to ‘leave’ Stormers to play in Japan — report

Springbok World Cup-winning flyhalf Manie Libbok is set to play club rugby in Japan in their next top-flight season, which means the Stormers will have to do without him for much of the 2025/26 season.

According to Rapport, Libbok, who won a World Cup winners’ medal in 2023, has been granted leave from his Stormers contract to earn yen for a season in Japan.

The Japanese season starts in December and runs until May the following year.

Japanese deal

Seeing that Libbok is currently injured, and hasn’t played for the Stormers since late January, it could be that he doesn’t turn out for the Cape-based team at all this season, and may probably only feature again when the next United Rugby Championship season gets under way in September.

The 27-year-old is then expected to pack his bags for Japan in December.

It is not known which team Libbok would turn out for in Japan.

The Stormers are currently backing Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at No 10.

The rising star of SA rugby has been instrumental in helping the Stormers get their season back on track in recent weeks, with the Cape-based side now up to sixth on the points table with just two regular season matches remaining.