Pollard unlikely to feature against Ireland

South Africa's Handre Pollard (left) tackled by Wales' Nick Tompkins. Pic: David Davies/PA Wire. 

Handré Pollard, called up late last night to the Springboks’ World Cup squad, is unlikely to feature against Ireland in the crucial Pool B clash between the countries at the Stade de France next Saturday.

The Leicester Tigers out-half was omitted from the original 33-man squad due to a calf injury but had spent time with the Boks pre-World Cup and returned to the field for his club in a friendly against Sale on Friday.

Starting ten when South Africa beat England in the final four years ago, he is by far the most experienced operator available to the side in his position, but it is believed that the Ireland test will be too much too soon for the 29-year-old.

The Boks face Tonga in Marseille a week later in a fixture that will more than likely see him gain some game time, and with a view to more involvement in the knockout stages, but the onus, for now, remains on Manie Libbok.

Damian Willemse started at out-half for yesterday’s 76-0 defeat of Romania in Bordeaux with scrum-half Faf de Klerk providing cover off the bench in the second-half but all three have been less than perfect from the tee so far in the tournament.

Pollard is a dead-eye in front of goal and, while he succeeded with six of eight efforts in that 2019 decider, maybe the best example of his importance was in a razor-thin semi-final when slotting all four penalties and the one conversion against Wales.

The last of those was a difficult three-pointer over 40 metres out and not far from the touchline with less than five minutes to play in Yokohama.