The Springboks could be forced into a late and significant change to their starting line-up ahead of Saturday’s second Test against the All Blacks, with concerns reportedly growing over Handre Pollard’s fitness.
Pollard was selected to return to the No. 10 jersey after starting the match on the bench in the previous Test, with Rassie Erasmus and his coaching staff opting for the experienced flyhalf to take charge against New Zealand.
However, according to reports from Netwerk24, Pollard is dealing with a calf injury that has raised doubts over whether he will be fit enough to take his place in the starting XV.
If Pollard is ruled out, the Springboks are expected to turn to Manie Libbok to start at flyhalf. That would also allow Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to remain in his planned role among the replacements.
Pollard injury could change Springboks’ plans
Pollard’s selection appeared to be influenced partly by the possibility of difficult, wet conditions in Cape Town. However, the latest forecast suggests the weather may not be as severe as initially expected, with cool and cloudy conditions and only light, intermittent rain predicted.
That could make the potential loss of Pollard an even more intriguing selection development.
The Springboks arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday after completing their main training block in Johannesburg. The squad then had Thursday off before Friday’s captain’s run ahead of the crucial Test.
Prop Thomas du Toit said the team had been determined to quickly move on from the lessons of the previous match rather than dwell on what went wrong.
“The important thing was to park that game and take the learnings as quickly as we could,” Du Toit said.
The Springboks will be looking to respond strongly against the All Blacks, with kick-off scheduled for 17:10 on Saturday.
Springboks vs All Blacks: The numbers
The Springboks have faced New Zealand 111 times.
- Wins: 43
- Losses: 64
- Draws: 4
- Points scored: 1,866
- Points conceded: 2,302
- Tries scored: 182
- Tries conceded: 253
- Win percentage: 37.7%
With Pollard’s fitness now potentially in doubt, all eyes will be on the Springboks’ final team confirmation before kick-off.
