Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

The impact the 2009 Lions had on a 15-year-old Handre Pollard

(Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)

Springboks out-half Handre Pollard has explained the impact which the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa had on him as a 15-year-old, claiming it was vital in inspiring him to go on and become a professional rugby player. Now aged 27, he is set to play for his country on Friday in their first match since the World Cup. 

ADVERTISEMENT

When Pollard was injured after joining Montpellier in 2020, he feared he would miss out on a large chunk of Springboks caps but the pandemic has meant it has been 20 months since the 2019 World Cup winners last took the field. 

Friday’s series opener versus Georgia in Pretoria is the first of two warm-up matches the Springboks will play before tackling Warren Gatland’s Lions on July 24 in the opener of a three-game series and Pollard, the out-half who is expected to ask plenty of questions of the tourists when they first clash in Cape Town, is pinching himself that he has the opportunity to feature twelve years after a lasting first impression was made.  

Video Spacer

The making of England star Maro Itoje

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 6:19
Loaded: 0.00%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 6:19
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    The making of England star Maro Itoje

    Jim Hamilton was lucky enough to spend some time with Vitality ambassador and former teammate @maroitoje before he jets off to South Africa for the British & Irish Lions Series.
    The Saracens lock told us all about how he got into rugby from his days at school and how family plays a key role in his life.

    Pollard wasn’t present at the Test series in person which the Springboks won 2-1 against Ian McGeechan’s Lions, but he followed every second on television after he had seen the tourists live in an earlier match versus Western Province.   

    “I didn’t go to the Tests. I watch the Lions against Western Province in Newlands when they tackled Duane (Vermeulen) out of his boots. I will never forget that,” he quipped. 

    “There are no words to describe the excitement to play the Lions. I am just happy that it could happen and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Most of us in the squad now are of a similar age and we grew up watching 2009 and got a lot of inspiration out of that and wanted to become professional rugby players because of that. 

    “Now we are sitting here with the possibility of facing the Lions and the huge team they are. Very excited. There are no words for it. The excitement is on another level.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    ADVERTISEMENT

    O2 Inside Line: All In | Episode 5 | Making Waves

    Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

    Tackling reasons for drop-out in sport | Zainab Alema | Rugby Rising Locker Room

    Krakow | Leg 3 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series | Full Day Replay

    Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

    Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

    Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

    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

    J
    JW 3 hours ago
    Reds vs Blues: Ex-All Black missed the mark, Lynagh’s Wallabies statement

    Agree re Lynagh.


    Disagree Beaver got it wrong. Blues made that look easy. It might be a brawn over brains picture though? More in the last point, but, and this may have changed by player selection, the Reds were very lucky this game. Tele’a should not have been red carded as Ryan landed on his shoulder, and both Tate and Jock (was it) should have been yellowed carded for their offenses in stopping tries. We also had a try dissallowed by going back 10 phases in play. We all should have learned after the RWC that that is against the rules. So straight away on this simple decisions alone the result changes to go in the Blues favour, away from home and playing fairly poorly. The sleeping giant if you will. I didn’t agree with the Blues take either tbh, but to flip it around and say it’s the Reds instead is completely inaccurate (though a good side no doubt you have to give them a chance).


    And you’re also riding the wave of defense wins matches a bit much. Aside from Dre’s tackling on Rieko I didn’t see anything in that match other than a bit of tiny goal line defending. I think if you role on the tap for another second you see the ball put placed for the try (not that I jump to agree with Eklund purely because he was adamant), and in general those just get scored more often than not. They are doing something good though stopping line breaks even if it is the Blues (and who also got over the line half a dozen times), I did not expect to be greeted with that stat looking at the game.

    8 Go to comments
    A
    Ashley Carson 3 hours ago
    'Not real Lions': How the 1989 British and Irish tourists put Australia on the map

    Life can unravel in an instant. For me, that moment came when deceitful cryptocurrency brokers vanished with £40,000 of my savings, a devastating blow that left me paralyzed by shame and despair. The aftermath was a fog of sleepless nights, self-doubt, and a crushing sense of betrayal. I questioned every choice, wondering how I’d fallen for such a scheme. Hope felt like a luxury I no longer deserved. Then, Tech Cyber Force Recovery emerged like a compass in a storm. Skeptical yet desperate, I reached out, half-expecting another dead end. What I found, however, was a team that radiated both expertise and empathy. From our first conversation, they treated my crisis not as a case file, but as a human tragedy. Their professionalism was matched only by their compassion, a rare combination in the often impersonal world of finance.

    What happened next defied logic. Within 72 hours of sharing my story, they traced the labyrinth of blockchain transactions, outmaneuvering the scammers with surgical precision. When their email arrived, “Funds recovered, secure and intact,” I wept. It wasn’t just the money; it was the validation that justice could prevail. Tech Cyber Force Recovery didn’t just restore my finances, they resurrected my dignity. But their impact ran deeper. They demystified the recovery process, educating me without judgment. Their transparency became a lifeline, transforming my fear into understanding. Where I saw chaos, they saw patterns; where I felt powerless, they instilled agency. Today, I’m rebuilding not just my savings, but my trust in humanity. Tech Cyber Force Recovery taught me that vulnerability isn’t weakness, and that seeking help is an act of courage. To those still trapped in the aftermath of fraud: miracles exist. They wear no capes, but they wield algorithms and integrity like superheroes. To the extraordinary Tech Cyber Force Recovery team, your work is more than technical prowess. It’s alchemy, turning despair into resilience. You gave me more than my funds; you gave me my future. May your light guide countless others through their darkest nights. From the depths of my heart: Thank you.

    Consult Tech Cyber Force Recovery for help.

    MAIL.. Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.com

    3 Go to comments
    LONG READ
    LONG READ Fur set to fly as Parisian duo dragged into Top 14 relegation dogfight Fur set to fly as Parisian duo dragged into Top 14 relegation dogfight
    Search