As Mr Reliable, Handré Pollard reaffirms his position in Bok team

He did not provide the panacea for all their ills but with comforting reliability Handré Pollard did enough to again help remedy the situation for the Springboks on Saturday.

His Man of the Match performance in their 30-22 Rugby Championship victory over the Wallabies in Cape Town carried familiar hallmarks as the Boks got back on their feet after their unexpected defeat at Ellis Park.

Of course, the 83-Test veteran has seen it all before. The Boks may be in a phase where game time is liberally spread, but Pollard as a Mr Reliable, remains their fallback guy at pivot.

He attributes his ability to make the right decisions and to execute with precision to being a graduate from the school of hard knocks.

“You learn from mistakes and when things are difficult,” he said sagely. “I was young and started early and made many mistakes. I was dropped a few times but that is how you learn. You learn how to handle a situation better. It comes with time.”

With quiet self-assurance Pollard got the job done in almost preordained fashion on Saturday. The Boks needed a steady hand at the tiller after their defeat at Ellis Park and their double Rugby World Cup winning flyhalf delivered in a manner familiar to Bok fans.

He provided a steady hand when his team was in possession and on the occasions the ball had to leave his boot it did so with unerring execution. His cross-kick to try-bound Canan Moodie did not have the aerial elegance of a Manie Libbok kick-pass but it proved as effective. Pollard was largely on the money in his tactical kicking and blemish free from the kicking tee landing three conversions and as many penalties.

Crucially, opposite number James O'Connor missed three kicks towards the end of the match that might have brought things to a more dramatic climax.

Pollard helped ease the Boks out of a sticky situation. In a wider context, the Boks also learnt from their errant ways. “It was a tough week, to be honest. Rightfully so. We were disappointed in the result,” said Pollard with the Ellis Park defeat no doubt still stinging. “It was tough balancing the emotions, and the tactics of the game. In the week we hit the sweet spot and took a lot of learning out of that game as a group. There are a lot of young guys stepping up with the big boys, showing a lot of leadership.”

The win was a big pressure release for the Boks after they came in for stinging criticism in the build-up.

“People care. They care about the Springboks,” reminded the enduring flyhalf. “That is the most important thing you always have to remember. We understand that and that responsibility we have on our shoulders.”

The wins column, Pollard insists, is the box he holds most dear. He may have had a much-decorated career in the Green and Gold but Pollard is less interested in the bling that comes with winning big games.

“It is never about trophies, medals and awards,” he explained.

“You just want to play for South Africa. That is the main thing. If you play one Test it is a privilege. If you play a few years like I have it is just unbelievable and when you get older you appreciate it more and more because you know the end is coming closer. This is such an unbelievable group of men, coaches and management, you just want to be a part of it as long as you possibly can. For that you have to work hard and play well. For us it is about making South Africa proud and making the Springboks the best team in the world.”

He may not be driven by personal ambition and may shield his eyes from the spotlight, but Pollard is staring down a significant milestone. His 15-point haul on Saturday has brought him ever closer to Percy Montgomery, the Springboks' most prolific points scorer. Montgomery's 893 points is coming into sharper focus with Pollard just 81 adrift. Getting him to admit it is in his cross hairs may be as difficult as shattering his confidence.