Handré Pollard must be given an extended run at No 10 on the Springboks’ four-Test tour of Europe, writes JON CARDINELLI in Dublin.
On Monday, Allister Coetzee told the media gathered at the team hotel in St Helens that Pollard was likely to start against Ireland.
‘Elton has been away recently [with his club in Japan] and so I have to decide whether to go with Elton or Pollard at No 10,’ the Bok coach said. ‘I have to weigh up how prepared Elton is going to be for that game versus how Pollard has been in camp with the team for the past three weeks.
Jantjies has started all nine of the Boks’ Tests in 2019. The Lions flyhalf impressed during the early stages of the season in games against France and Argentina. In the subsequent fixtures against Australia and New Zealand, however, Jantjies’ game management and option-taking left a lot to be desired.
Pollard was the Boks’ first-choice flyhalf at the 2015 World Cup. A series of injuries precluded him from selection in 2016 and in the early stages of the 2017 season. He made his comeback to Test rugby in the Rugby Championship, but was limited to a bench role.
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This Saturday, Pollard could win his first start for the Boks in more than two years. What’s more, he may receive the opportunity to redeem himself after a poor showing against Ireland the last time the Boks were in Dublin.
In that 2014 fixture, Pollard and halfback partner Francois Hougaard had a night to forget. That said, Pollard and Hougaard weren’t helped by the fact that their forwards lost the collisions and breakdowns.
Will history repeat itself this Saturday? Even at this stage, Coetzee is still pondering his loose-forward options.
The Boks have travelled to Europe without Warren Whiteley, Jaco Kriel and Jean-Luc du Preez (all injured) while Duane Vermeulen has not been considered due to a lack of game time in the wake of his own long-term ailment.
Coetzee may be tempted to stick with the back row that fronted the All Blacks a month ago. Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Francois Louw certainly took the fight to the New Zealanders on that occasion.
On the other hand, Uzair Cassiem is back from injury. Going by how the Boks were running at training in Dublin on Monday, Oupa Mohoje may well be considered for a start at blindside flank.
Whatever the case may be, the Boks will go into Saturday’s clash as underdogs. While they may have the front and second rows to challenge Ireland at the set pieces, they lack the experience and the continuity in the loose trio to be considered as favourites at the breakdowns and collisions.
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Ireland also have halfbacks that are capable of translating forward dominance into territory and attacking chances, as Coetzee pointed out.
‘The aerial game might not be as important in Super Rugby, but I know that in the northern hemisphere the aerial bombardment plays a big part,’ the Bok coach said. ‘Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton are great kickers of the ball. They see those kicks as an attacking opportunity as well.
‘Physicality is a given against a northern-hemisphere side. We’ve got to be smart with our detail this week. Ireland are quite innovative. They run good lines and defensively we will have to work at stopping their momentum.’
Three years ago, Pollard was dropped from the starting side in the wake of his poor showing against Ireland. Pat Lambie started the remaining Tests against England, Italy and Wales.
Does Pollard need to win the match single-handedly this weekend to guarantee a start in the following three Tests? Coetzee gave the impression that the Boks are looking to build some continuity on this tour. Jantjies, of course, will head back to his Japanese club ahead of the clash against Wales in Cardiff, a Test that falls outside of the World Rugby-sanctioned Test window.
Coetzee believes that the Boks’ kicking game has been on point this season. This Saturday, he will be looking to his flyhalf to translate forward dominance into territory and, when the situation presents itself, points.
‘You have to win the small battles in big Tests like these,’ he said. ‘There’s the battle at the scrum, the lineout, the battle for territory, the breakdown, and the kicking game. If you win three out of five you have a good chance of winning the game.
‘On top of all that, you have to build scoreboard pressure. You need a No 10 who can keep that scoreboard pressure going. You have to keep building through those three-pointers, especially in the northern hemisphere.’
Those scoring chances will, however, hinge on a competitive showing by the Boks up front. And if Coetzee is serious about building continuity on this tour he has to hand Pollard an extended run in that position of responsibility.
Photo: Patrick Bolger/Getty Images
