Springbok mastermind Rassie Erasmus has thrown his full weight behind veteran playmaker Handré Pollard, while simultaneously stoking the hype surrounding 20-year-old prodigy Vusi Moyo as South Africa prepares for the upcoming Nations Championship.
With dynamic utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu officially sidelined for the entire July international window due to injury, all eyes have turned to the crucial number 10 jersey. While Manie Libbok is widely tipped to start the season-opener against England as the first-choice flyhalf, Pollard’s recent uncharacteristic, shaky performances for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship (URC) had fans and pundits asking tough questions.
Rassie, however, isn’t buying into the panic.
“Why Would He Suddenly Become a Poor Player?” — Rassie Backs Pollard
Speaking ahead of the squad’s training block in Johannesburg, Erasmus shut down the noise surrounding his dual World Cup-winning flyhalf, reminding critics of Pollard’s flawless track record in the green and gold.
“Handré didn’t exactly set the world alight for the Bulls, but he has never let us down,” Erasmus stated firmly. “A lot of people are talking, but we know what Handré can do. It’s difficult to point fingers at someone while he’s playing for his franchise and you haven’t worked with him for a while… Why would he suddenly become a poor player? Is there an injury? No, there isn’t, so perhaps he’s just had a week or two where he wasn’t exceptional.”
The Rise of Vusi Moyo and the Flyhalf Experiments
While the veteran handles the heat, the narrative surrounding rookie sensation Vusi Moyo is pure electricity. The Sharks’ 20-year-old starlet earned glowing reviews for his composed cameo during the Springboks’ comfortable warm-up victory over the Barbarians in Gqeberha.
Erasmus admitted the coaching staff have been deeply impressed by the youngster’s temperament:
“I think Vusi [Moyo] is a really calm guy and quite aggressive, and really impressed us as well.”
The Barbarians fixture also served as a laboratory for secondary flyhalf cover. Lions fullback Quan Horn was handed an experimental shift at pivot—a move that yielded highly valuable data for the coaching staff despite an early defensive hiccup.
“One of Quan’s strengths is his defence and the first try came from a guy who ran over him. But the nice thing is it didn’t take him off focus,” Rassie explained. “He certainly had some nice passes and made tries for guys, kicked really well to touch. That is what this game was all about – sorting out some problems and getting some answers.”
