World Champion Springboks set to return to the field sooner rather than later

Some of South Africa’s World Cup winners will be back on the field in a matter of weeks.

Pollard’s French side Montpellier announced on Saturday they will emerge from the coronavirus lockdown and restart training on June 2.

Pollard’s outfit follows fellow Springbok Eben Etzebeth’s Toulon, who will conduct medical tests on their squad members next Wednesday.

“After more than two months of lockdown, the time has come for the players and coaches to get back to the GGL Stadium,” Pollard’s outfit said.

The new Top 14 campaign is expected to start on September 4, but Pollard’s club team-mates including a new arrival in Bok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will return to training in phases before being able to start group sessions in July.

The Top 14 season was declared over in April due to the COVID-19 outbreak but questions remain about if a champion will be decided and which sides will represent the league in next season’s European Champions Cup.

Billionaire-backed Montpellier was in eighth place when the last term was brought to an end and could miss out on the top-tier of the continental competition.

Last week, club owner Mohed Altrad told newspaper Midi Olympique he was interested in signing World Cup winner Pieter-Steph du Toit, despite the forward signing a new deal with the Stormers.

- AFP