Bok brains trust mulling over a shock return of Pollard as replacement for injured Marx

A return from injury 30-minute stint for Leicester Tigers on Friday night appears to be Handré Pollard's passport to the Rugby World Cup. 

The flyhalf is set for a sensational return to the Bok ranks after he was left out of the original 33-man squad that travelled to the competition. 

His inability to train at full tilt saw him omitted from the original squad but he has earned a reprieve on the back of hooker Malcolm Marx's tournament-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury this week. 

Bok coach Jacques Nienaber, before the team's departure, insisted there will be like-for-like replacements should injury befall their front rankers, but there clearly has been a rethink as Pollard packs for Paris. 

Joseph Dweba would have been the designated replacement for Marx but instead the Boks are hedging their bets on a player who has not featured in a Test since he got injured against the Wallabies in Adelaide last year. 

In the half hour he spent on the field for the Tigers, he kicked a penalty to help them down the Sale Sharks away from home on Friday evening. 

Earlier on Friday, Bok coach Nienaber appeared to open the door for Pollard.

“We will definitely watch the Leicester Tigers versus Sale game,” admitted Nienaber. 

He went on to explain that in specialised positions like hooker and scrumhalf, the Boks' third option has to bring versatility.

Three of their scrumhalves can play in other positions and in fact, all four will be on duty in the match-day 23 against Romania. 

Dweba is being overlooked on the basis that he is an out-an-out hooker.

Their now go-to hooker Bongi Mbonambi falls into the same category, while Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden are being knocked back into hooking shape. 

Both Fourie and Van Staden are proficient ball pilferers, as is Marx. 

Dweba, when in full stride, is a gainline-busting operator who can make strong carries in the tight loose. 

Not enlisting the help of another hooker is of course a calculated risk.

Another injury in the hooking position, especially if it is the vastly experienced Mbonambi, would be catastrophic for the Boks. 

Pollard meanwhile will come into a squad that has Manie Libbok at the first choice flyhalf.

Libbok's kicking accuracy at poles has been underwhelming for the Boks this year, and Pollard's call-up will help address that shortfall.

Pollard also brings versatility as he can operate at inside centre which will give the Bok kicking game even greater reach. 

Nienaber stressed the final call will only be made after Sunday's game against Romania but it is understood the Boks have made plans to recall the 65-times capped Pollard. 

“We want to focus on the Romania game. We will only make a decision on Monday.”