There was no sign of Handre Pollard in the Springboks’ World Cup squad. Photo: BackpagePix

WATCH | Back to his best: Pollard produces masterclass!

Handre Pollard is looking well-placed to reclaim the Springbok No 10 jersey after rediscovering top form and fitness in England.

by Craig Lewis

07-03-2023 09:48

in Springboks

There was no sign of Handre Pollard in the Springboks’ World Cup squad. Photo: BackpagePix

The 2023 World Cup is now fast approaching, and there are sure to be some selection headaches when it comes to selecting the wider 33-man squad, let alone when it comes to narrowing it down to a matchday 23. In particular, the selection at flyhalf will be of interest as Handre Pollard returns to the mix.

Last year, Pollard featured in just five Tests, with an unfortunate run of injuries forcing him to miss large parts of the season. In his absence, Damian Willemse enjoyed a coming-of-age season in 2022, and slotted in superbly at flyhalf.

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However, now that Pollard is back from injury, many will expect him to almost automatically reclaim the No 10 jersey. It’s a position where depth has been built as Willemse and Manie Libbok have shown some of their qualities, but the experience of Pollard will be hard to replace.

In recent times, the 28-year-old has shown some world-class form for English club Leicester Tiger, and just this past weekend he produced a stunning all-round effort against Bath.

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