Handre Pollard has opened up on his international future after a year which has seen him start just four of South Africa’s 10 Tests.
The Leicester Tigers fly-half, a national hero for steering his country to back-to-back World Cups, has a 77-cap career spanning the Springboks’ most successful era.
He arrives in Scotland at the start of a three-Test tour as the second highest points scorer in Boks history and a man in form after three wins on his return to the Premiership from a triumphant Rugby Championship.
Stiff competition
He is also a player who, for all his achievements, knows he faces stiff competition for the Springboks‘ number 10 jersey from younger rivals Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezula.
Rather than view them as a threat, however, the 30-year old revealed he is using the competition to fire him up and take his game to the next level.
“It’s a state of mind as much as anything,” Pollard told Planet Rugby. “Complacency is a 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁er in this game. We speak about it often, the importance of keep moving forward all the time, not staying in one place.
“So for me, and other older guys, it’s a very good thing to have the young guys coming through. It keeps everyone motivated and on their toes. And, to be honest, we learn from them just as much as they learn from us.
“They have been brought up with a whole different mindset to what we were brought up with. It keeps me excited. It keeps me driven.”
Libbok, 27, is the man in possession, having started at 10 in Nelspruit last time out when South Africa thrashed Argentina 48-7 to clinch their first Rugby Championship since 2019.
But 22-year old Feinberg-Mngomezula is the coming man, having started three of the last six, each of which resulted in victory. There is also Jordan Hendrikse, 23, who called the shots in the June win over Wales at Twickenham.
“Of course the experience and stuff we know about the game we will always carry with us,” Pollard continued. “But the older you get the more open minded you’ve got to be to stuff, instead of doubling down with things you used to do.
“Keep that, and keep that to a high standard, but also see what these young boys are doing because, trust me, they’re doing unbelievable stuff.”
It is this humility, allied to a world class work ethic, which has kept Pollard at the top of the game since he broke into the Springboks team a decade ago.
No matter what he achieves, he prides himself on parking it, resetting the dials to zero and going again. Hence, his willingness to learn from the new kids on the block.
“These young guys push us hard,” he said. “They bring new things to the table. It’s brilliant and is something we relish.”
Pollard is still the man coach Rassie Erasmus turns to for the biggest games. When the world’s top two nations clashed in that blockbuster summer series against Ireland he was handed the start in both Tests.
But Erasmus has proved a master at evolving his squad since retaining the Webb Ellis Cup in Paris and it would take a brave, possibly foolish, man to bet against him continuing to do so on this short, sharp tour.
Busy period
After a training week in Jersey the world champions face three Tests in just 13 days, against Scotland, England and Wales.
“This is a very important time for us,” said Pollard. “It’s about consistency. That’s what we want. We lacked that in the previous (World Cup) cycle.
“We want to blood young guys and get new guys some caps but we also want consistency and to get results consistently.
“It’s a massive end of year tour for us. It’s going to be tough, it always is in the autumn, but it’s a great opportunity to really stamp our mark on things and cap off a great year. We’re very excited for the challenge.”
