World Cup heroes who didn’t start the tournament

The South African rugby public are baying for the return to the Springboks squad of dependable kicker and regular No 10 Handre Pollard.

Pollard’s only route back into the Rugby World Cup is as an injury replacement.

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Pollard wouldn’t be the first Springbok to be called into a squad late and go on to impact a Rugby World Cup run.

At South Africa’s first appearance in the Rugby World Cup, Chester Williams missed the squad with injury.

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However, he would return for the quarters after Pieter Hendricks was banned for 90 days for his part in the Boet Erasmus brawl in the infamous match against Canada.

Williams returned for the last eight clash with Samoa, scoring four tries in a big Springbok win that set them on the path to the Webb Ellis Trophy.

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He wouldn’t score again but Williams played an important role in victories over France, at a sodden Kings Park and that epic final against New Zealand.

Any Springbok players banned before the Rugby World Cup this time around could still be replaced, but players suspended during the showpiece cannot be replaced in their squads.

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In 2019, Damian Willemse didn’t start the Rugby World Cup but was called into the group after an injury to Jesse Kriel.

Willemse played his part as a utility player and pulled his weight in the run to the Rugby World title in Japan.

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Could Handre Pollard still make the Rugby World Cup

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has made it clear that no player will be asked to step aside at this stage.

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“There are lots of rumours about our injured players,” Nienaber said at OR Tambo airport.

“But if you have a heart, how do you pick a guy and then tell him to fake an injury and get the other guy in? We would never do that.”

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“We have not given our squad to World Rugby yet — that only has to be in on August 21 — but I’m not sure other teams have either.

“We are all playing warm-up games and history tells you that you normally lose one or two players.

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“But if there are no more injuries, then the 33-man squad that we have named will be going to the World Cup.”

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