Manie Libbok will return to Durban from Japan in July 2027
Manie Libbok is coming home. The Hollywoodbets Sharks announced on 4 November that the Springbok fly-half has signed a multi-year deal that starts in July 2027.
Libbok is a Rugby World Cup winner with more than 30 Test caps. He came through the Bulls system, had a short spell at the Sharks in 2020/21, then became a key player for the Stormers, who won the 2021/22 United Rugby Championship. The club says he finished as the competition's top points scorer in back-to-back seasons. He is now playing in Japan for Hanazono Kintetsu Liners and will finish his commitments there before he joins.
In the club's release, Libbok said he has "had a taste of Durban before" and that coming back with experience behind him means a lot. The financial terms have not been disclosed.
What it means for the move
A long gap between signing and starting is a feature of many returns home. Libbok has months left in Japan, so the practical work of coming back runs alongside a season still being played. Athletes in that position usually have a list: ending a lease and local contracts, closing or keeping a bank account, deciding where pay will land, and sorting out where they will live on return.
The earlier you map that list, the less of it lands in the final weeks of a season.
Sources
- Hollywoodbets Sharks, 5 Nov 2026: https://sharksrugby.co.za/blogs/news/manie-libbok-signs-hollywoodbets-sharks