Pollard gives Boks flexibility

It might give the All Blacks more than a hint of what their intentions are, but the Springboks have restored flyhalf Handré Pollard to the starting team for Saturday's Rugby Championship test at the Westpac Stadium.

Pollard, who started against Scotland and both Tests against Argentina, was left out of the match day 23 for last week's clash against the Wallabies in Perth.

Pollard gives the Springboks more playbook options and his inclusion will remove some but not all the guesswork the All Blacks have to make around the Bok strategy.

Had Morné Steyn been included, the Springboks would have been more predictable.

"I think what it will tell us is how they are going to play us. That is probably the biggest sign," All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster said before the Boks pinned their selection colours to the mast.

With Pollard at flyhalf the Springboks can play a varied game.

As first receiver he can play from deep, but is equally comfortable lying flat, taking the ball into the Kiwi defence.

He will also bring a sturdier presence in defence, a discipline Steyn let slip in the closing stages of last week's game.

Pollard did not match his burgeoning reputation against the Pumas, but such were Steyn's shortfalls, beyond exemplary goal-kicking, last week that he disappeared from the match squad altogether.

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said: "We felt Handré has the right skill set for how we want to approach the game. He played well in the three Tests that he started."