Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Handre Pollard paid a classy compliment by an ex-England out-half

(Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)

A former England out-half has paid Handre Pollard a classy compliment after the 2019 Rugby World Cup winner’s latest involvement in the recent Leicester charge up the Gallagher Premiership table. Tigers have won their last five league matches to catapult up the rankings and leave them in third place heading towards the end-of-season playoffs.

ADVERTISEMENT

Pollard injured himself on his October 1 debut for the English club at Saracens but the South African has been increasingly excellent since his late December return to action, demonstrating why Leicester decided to sign him from Montpellier for the 2022/23 season.

His most recent outing came in last Saturday’s convincing 46-24 Mattioli Woods Welford Road win over Bristol, Pollard’s ninth appearance for the club, and his contribution massively impressed Andy Goode, who was at the match entertaining some corporate guests.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

Reflecting on the top-notch performance he witnessed from Pollard, Goode said on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod: “They [Leicester] have now won five on the spin and a lot of it is Handre Pollard. I’m not exaggerating, he was world-class. He was absolutely world-class on Saturday.

“Kicks to touch, he is booting penalties from his own half that are landing five metres from the try line, his crossfield kicks are perfection, and the best moment – tackling. He is sticking shoulders in like you wouldn’t believe.

“It was a complete performance from him. He has got options left, right and centre, he is picking out the right options. He was world-class at the weekend – and then Freddie Burns has taught him the old chip and chase because he pulled it out. It was class.

“He is a worldie and he is putting it in. You speak to people around the club and how much he is invested in the club. You see some of these foreign players come to the Premiership on a big pay packet.

ADVERTISEMENT

“They try their hardest and they try and play well but they are not fully invested in everything that goes on at the club. Handre Pollard is – and Leicester are on fire.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

H
Hellhound 2 hours ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

You forget that this was the 3rd Test between the AB's and the English this year. They were prepared and they knew how to keep NZ quiet. The Boks is not NZ.


The Boks is a whole other level. You overestimate England and underestimate the Boks. Clearly you haven't really looked at the teams. Besides the Irish games earlier this year, the Boks have mainly used experimental sides, even against the AB's.


Now they have chosen their best team available. They have targeted this game. The Boks mean business. Man for man, this Bok team is better. In strategy and player abilities there is no comparison and they are outmatched.


There isn't just monster strength, but unreal speed. In broken play there is currently no better team as well as defensively, not to even talk about the attacking threat, both from front and the back.


I'd say read between the lines, see what everyone is seeing, but clearly you are wearing blinders and is also putting too much emphasis on an AB's team the Boks beat twice this year, the same AB's that beaten England 3 times this year.


When Rassie gets serious, the players become machines. There is no stopping them. That bench is loaded with players that is fast, strong and have exceptional skills. This is a team not many teams will face before the 2027 WC, because the Boks doesn't use their best between WC's in one game. All experimental.


You will be proven wrong on Saturday and then you will wonder how you could have been so wrong. This Bok team means serious business. They came to conquer and not just by a close score. They want to demolish and they will. This England team at most is a 60 min team. Against the Boks that just won't cut it

15 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING New scrumhalf rule among 4 global Law trials as others shot down New scrumhalf rule among 4 global Law trials as others shot down
Search