South Africa's Handre Pollard not expecting miracles on return

COMEBACK: South Africa’s Handre Pollard is set to return. Pic: INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Steve Haag

Springbok out-half Handre Pollard won’t be expecting miracles of himself when he returns to the national side for the first time in over a year this Sunday.

The starting ten when South Africa won the World Cup in 2019, Pollard has been cursed by injury lately. The Pool B meeting with Tonga will be his first for the Boks since August of 2022 and only his second run of any kind since May because of a calf problem.

Originally omitted from the 33-man squad for this tournament, the Leicester Tigers player was drafted in after the injury to hooker Malcolm Marx and three opening games in which a trio of players have missed a dozen kicks to date.

“I am going to be realistic about it,” he explained ahead of the game in Marseille. “Having played 30 minutes of Prem Cup rugby [Premiership Rugby Cup] a few weeks ago to playing a Test match in a World Cup is quite a big jump.

“I’m confident in the way we prepare here. My expectations for myself is just going to be to express myself and enjoy it knowing that it’s not going to be perfect.” 

Pollard’s utterances are in tune with those of Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber, the former reminding fans that he is not Superman and the latter using similar words as expectations shift in bulk onto the player’s shoulders.

Just being here now is a boost in itself to Pollard who admitted to feelings of some frustration as what was expected to be a four-week absence extended into a rehab of three months and that omission from the original travelling party.

“We tried our best to be fit as soon as possible but it didn’t work out. Of course not getting selected [in the initial 33-man squad] was tough but such is life. They [the coaches] always told us to stay positive and be ready, and that is exactly what I did.

“It is an interesting one. Of course there is a lot of heat on all the kickers at the moment for the last few games, but if you had to see the amount of work those guys put in every single day, you would know that it is going to come right any day."

The Boks have gone for a very different – for them - 5/3 split on the bench, and among the trio of backs will be Manie Libbok whose difficulties off the tee have been the primary mover in Pollard’s hasty return from injury this weekend.

Libbok has plenty of admirers for the quality of his all-round play but he has fallen short with his goal-kicking for club and country in some crucial theatres this year, regardless of the relentless work Pollard has seen him and others put in behind the scenes.

“I don’t speak to Manie too much about it because I know it is a personal thing, kicking. Once there’s too many voices it can be very distracting. I am always there for him if he needs any help, but he is in good hands and he is really looking good and confident in training so I’m sure it will come right.”