Red-hot Pollard set to earn first Bok cap

Recently crowned World Junior Player of the Year Handré Pollard is set to complete his meteoric rise to the pinnacle of the game by making his Test debut for the Springboks against Scotland in Port Elizabeth this weekend.

Pollard, 20, captained the Junior Springboks to second place at the International Rugby Board Junior World Championships in New Zealand last Friday. The Junior Boks lost a tense final against England 21-20, but Pollard was named the best player.

It was Pollard's third appearance at the tournament but now he is ready to take the step up to the highest level and is likely to be fast-tracked into the starting line-up if Johan Goosen's fitness remains questionable.

Goosen has a knee problem and, given the litany of injuries that have plagued his young career, Pollard could suddenly become the man (or boy?) to stake a claim for a permanent berth in the Bok line-up.

Pollard has come off five tough games in three weeks with the Junior Boks where he became the all-time leading points scorer at the tournament, but he is in good physical condition and is also in great form. It's the perfect time to throw him into the Test arena, especially as incumbent Bok flyhalf Morné Steyn is one of seven players who have been released back to their European clubs.

At 1.89m and 97kg, Pollard is an imposing flyhalf, but he also has subtle skills and the most vital ingredient of all, a brilliant rugby brain. The Scotland match doesn't fall into an IRB Test window and European clubs have exercised their right to recall players.

The SA Rugby Union had received the blessing of local franchises that players would be available for a Test on June 28, but the same deal could not be reached with French clubs, in particular.

The other players not available are Gurthrö Steenkamp (prop), Schalk Brits (hooker), Bakkies Botha (lock), Francois Louw (flank), Wynand Olivier (centre) and Bryan Habana (wing).

The situation underlines the difficulties for coach Heyneke Meyer of choosing so many overseas-based players, but it also provides opportunities for players like Pollard. Hooker Adriaan Strauss is also back in the squad after serving a three-week suspension for foul play. He could be thrust into the starting XV to give Bismarck du Plessis a reprieve ahead of a tough Super rugby run in with the Sharks.

"We will still travel to Port Elizabeth with a strong squad and will only consider calling up more replacements if necessitated by injury," Meyer said. "The players who have not yet featured in one of our three matches this month have worked very hard.

"I feel that some of them deserve a chance to play against Scotland as they've now become accustomed to how we play and won't let their country down."

That means centre Sibusiso Sithole could find himself on the bench, with wing Lwazi Mvovo likely to start in place of Habana, while flank Marcell Coetzee must be the leading contender to start at openside flank with Louw back in Britain.