VIDEO: Springboks And Stormers Wizard Manie Libbok Attempts World Record Drop Goal

The longest ever recorded successful drop goal is at a staggering 77.7 metres long! This record belongs to the late former Springbok Gerry Brand, who sent a missile sailing over the goals from the sideline near the halfway line against England on 02 January 1932.

Almost (exactly) 92 years later, it was the turn of another Springbok in the form of the mercurial showman Manie Libbok to attempt breaking, or at least matching, this ridiculous record. He did so with the help of DHL Stormers teammate Herschel Jantjies at the team’s training ground in the Cape Town suburb of Belville.

The difference between Brand and Libbok’s attempt was that the latter did not have an entire team of Englishmen bearing down on him as he tried to slot the kick, having all the time in the world to do so. At the time of publication, the video, uploaded by World Rugby on its YouTube channel, had gone viral with just over 60 000 views.

The immensely gifted Libbok has been a spectacular success in the Cape following his arrival in the winter of 2021 after underwhelming stays at the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks respectively. He helped ignite the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship title victory that season, and also led them to another home final in 2023, where they were ultimately defeated by Munster at the DHL Stadium last May.

This remarkable form saw him being selected to play for the Springboks in 2022, an impressive run that resulted in him playing a big part in the 2023 Rugby World Cup triumph in France last October.