Handre Pollard was the differentiator in the Springboks successful defence of the World Cup and he owns the crown of greatest Springboks flyhalf.
In the past month I followed snippets of Chasing the Sun 2 on social media. I followed some discussions, debates and reviews, particularly the opinion of former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton on his Big Jim Podcast.
I was always going to binge-watch the five-part series detailing the Springboks stunning title success in France. I knew I would not have the patience to watch one episode and wait for a week for the other.
I picked Tuesday evening for the binge part, which was the first four episodes and Wednesday for the finale. The binge watch was as powerful a recall as I could get for those three epic Springboks play-off matches.
Pollard against France. Pollard against England. Pollard against the All Blacks.
Pollard did not miss a kick in the play-offs and he did not miss in his only other match against Tonga in the final group fixture.
The Boks, pre Pollard’s belated introduction into the World Cup as an injury replacement for hooker Malcolm Marx, were kicking at 50% in the tournament. It was the worst among the top contenders.
Chasing the Sun 2 is an emotional minefield, but when one puts the sound on mute, the most telling visual is Pollard’s boot against France, against England and against the All Blacks.
Pollard changed all that and he changed the fortunes of the Springboks and the course of World Cup history.
There were plenty of heroes among the Boks and many significant moments in the tournament. Deon Fourie’s story is one that could be turned into a movie. Cheslin Kolbe’s charge down of Thomas Ramos’s conversion is the stuff of folklore and Pieter-Steph du Toit’s World Cup final performance against the All Blacks set the standard for future World Cup finals.
Bongi Mbonambi’s contribution was inspirational. Ditto Eben Etzebeth.
Siya was and is Siya. Rassie was and is Rassie. Faf gave us that strip of the ball against France in the final play of the game, and much more. Damian Willemse was all-class, Kurt-Lee Arendse was brave and electric, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel were the best midfield combination at the tournament and Kriel was immense against France.
Manie Libbok’s no-look kick against Scotland, Jasper Wiese’s drive off the back of the scrum in the final act of the final, RG Snyman’s cameo against England, Franco Mostert’s engine that hasn’t stopped running since the start of the 2019 World Cup, the front row club and Kwagga Smith and those turnovers.
Those were just some of my on-field highlights, and you could name every Bok player and they’d deserve their own column. Equally, the coaching staff under the guidance of Jacques Nienaber and the direction of Rassie Erasmus.
Chasing the Sun 2 is an emotional minefield, but when one puts the sound on mute, the most telling visual is Pollard’s boot against France, against England and against the All Blacks.
The greats are defined by how they perform in the biggest moments on the biggest stage. Pollard, for the Springboks, at World Cups, has done it more than any other No 10 in the history of the Springboks.
If the World Cup is the Holy Grail in the professional age, then Pollard’s performances in the 2019 World Cup play-offs and 2023 World Cup play-offs makes him South Africa’s greatest No 10.
Pollard converts and South Africa wins. Pollard misses and South Africa loses. It was true for all play-off matches in 2023 and it was true for the semifinal against Wales in 2019.
Pollard scored 22 points in the 2019 final against England, but it was the penalty goal against Wales in the semifinal that was the most decisive play of South Africa’s play-offs.
Four years later and it was the 50-metre penalty against France and the 50-metre penalty against England that meant the Boks were in Paris defending their title against the All Blacks.
Pollard the schoolboy No 10 had no equal. Pollard, the under 20 international was voted World Rugby Player of the Year and Pollard the Springbok is a double World Cup winner.
Pollard’s 34 points in two World Cup finals is the most by a player in World Cup finals history.
Chasing the Sun 2 is a nation builder of note, but if there was no Pollard there would be no Chasing the Sun 2, let alone the original Chasing the Sun.
Cherish him and appreciate him.
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