Pollard ‘owns the Bok 10 crown’

Handré Pollard is the greatest Springbok fly-half and without the two-time world cup winner, documentaries like Chasing the Sun wouldn’t exist, writes Mark Keohane.

Pollard made a timely recovery from injury to cap a sensational 2023 by kicking the Boks to a world cup title defence in France. The 69-Test pivot again proved to be the man for the big occasion, replicating his 2019 heroics despite a delayed call into South Africa’s squad.

Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane believes Pollard’s late introduction into the tournament changed the Boks’ fortunes and world cup history. While acknowledging other heroes like Deon Fourie, Cheslin Kolbe and Pieter-Steph du Toit, he emphasises Pollard’s role, demonstrated by his flawless goal-kicking and crucial plays in high-pressure matches.

Keohane asserts that Pollard’s performances on the grandest stages make him unparalleled among Bok fly-halves. He highlights the 30-year-old’s decisive moments, and urges fans to ‘cherish and appreciate’ Pollard’s impact on South African rugby.

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“Handré Pollard was the differentiator in the Springboks successful defence of the world cup and he owns the crown of greatest Springboks fly-half,” he writes.

“The greats are defined by how they perform in the biggest moments on the biggest stage. Pollard, for the Springboks, at world cups, has done it more than any other No 10 in the history of the Springboks.

“If the world cup is the Holy Grail in the professional age, then Pollard’s performances in the 2019 world cup play-offs and 2023 world cup play-offs makes him South Africa’s greatest No 10.

“Chasing the Sun 2 is a nation builder of note, but if there was no Pollard there would be no Chasing the Sun 2, let alone the original Chasing the Sun.”

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