Handre Pollard’s South Africa World Cup Fate Rests on Injury Crisis
Handre Pollard, the fly-half for South Africa, will not be playing in the team’s upcoming Rugby World Cup clash against Ireland unless there is a last-minute injury crisis. The reigning champions, however, expect lock Eben Etzebeth to be available for the Pool B fixture at Stade de France.
Pollard was initially left out of the Springboks’ 33-man squad for the tournament due to a calf problem. However, he was called up on Sunday to replace injured hooker Malcolm Marx. The 29-year-old returned from injury on Friday as a second-half replacement in Leicester’s Gallagher Premiership win against Sale.
Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus confirmed that Pollard will not be selected for the upcoming match, unless there are multiple injuries within the team. Erasmus explained that Pollard had only just joined the squad and played his first minutes in several weeks for Leicester. He emphasized the need for Pollard to get up to speed with the team’s training sessions and intensity before being considered for selection.
South Africa has started their title defense with wins against Scotland and Romania in the World Cup. Despite being forced off by a shoulder injury against Scotland, Etzebeth has made a quick recovery and is expected to be in contention for the match against Ireland.
Amid rumors linking Erasmus with a move to the Irish Rugby Football Union after the World Cup, he denied any discussions or truth to the reports. He made it clear that he will not be following Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber to Dublin.
In conclusion, Handre Pollard’s World Cup fate for South Africa depends on the team’s injury situation. While he has returned from injury and joined the squad, Pollard is not expected to play against Ireland unless there are additional injuries. On the positive side, lock Eben Etzebeth is likely to be available for the upcoming match. As the Springboks continue their title defense, speculations surrounding Rassie Erasmus’s future with the team have been dismissed as baseless.
