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'Handre is a bit of a worry': Pollard sidelined with re-injured calf
By Rugby365
South Africa’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has provided an update on the injured players in the Bok camp as the start of the Rugby Championship draws nearer.
On Tuesday, during a media conference in Pretoria, Erasmus said flyhalf Handre Pollard is set to miss the Rugby Championship with his calf injury.
However, Erasmus is hoping the playmaker recovers in time for the World Cup warm-up games in August.
The good news for the Boks is that Damian Willemse is fit again after battling a knee injury in recent weeks.
Erasmus also said that Eben Etzebeth and Jaden Hendrikse (both shoulder injuries) are making good progress and they are on track to be ready for the “back part” of the Rugby Championship.
“I think the only real concern will be Handre,” said Erasmus.
“Damian Willemse is ready to go.”
Erasmus added: “Handre is a bit of a worry.
“It’s a calf injury which he re-injured while playing for Leicester. With a re-injury, we are always a bit nervous and that is the reason why we have Elton [Jantjies] here, so that Handre can fully recover and we don’t push him too early.
“In terms of a date, he is more or less the same as Siya [Kolisi]. We are looking at either that Argentina, Wales or NZ Test match [in August], which is not part of the Rugby Championship.”
The Springboks will start their Rugby Championship campaign against the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, July 8.
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Latest Comments
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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