Springboks make the right call on Handre Pollard

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has made a tough but correct call on Handre Pollard being in the Rugby World Cup squad.

Having a player working their way back to fitness in the Rugby World Cup squad is not a luxury Nienaber can afford.

He needs every member of the 33-man playing group pulling towards ultimate victory from the outset.

This may also reflect an attitude where injured players could be hastily replaced.

However, Nienaber has sternly refuted any notion that a player picked for the Rugby World Cup squad would fake an injury to allow another player to take their spot in France.

Nienaber reiterated that Lukhanyo Am, Handre Pollard and Lood de Jager were not fit to begin the Rugby World Cup and therefore could not be taken along.

He added that there wasn’t any way that management could deny another player a spot by asking them to fake an injury should any of the three veterans pass fit.

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Will Springboks fake an injury?

There has been a lot of discussion surrounding the lack of No 10s in the squad and some feel that South Africa might feel the need to call Pollard in if they run into trouble early on.

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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.”

Will Handre Pollard get the call?

Nienaber gave an update on Pollard that suggested he might be fit to take part in the knockout stages.

“Handre is over his injury, but has only had two training sessions and is still on his way back after not playing for 16 weeks.

“He is probably at 20-25 percent readiness and if we had to push him to 80% now there would be a 90% risk of losing him in a couple of weeks.

“For him to play right now would be like asking him to run a 90 kilometre (56 miles) ultra-marathon in three weeks time, but with only 10 km a week of training.

“The stand-ins (for injured players) have not done too badly,” said Nienaber.

Squad

Springbok Rugby World Cup squad:

Forwards:

Props: Steven Kitshoff (Ulster – 74 caps, 10 points), Vincent Koch (Cell C Sharks – 45 caps, 0 points), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers – 61 caps, 5 points), Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks – 19 caps, 0 points), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92 – 61 caps, 5 points).

Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks – 60 caps, 60 points), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears – 61 caps, 75 points).

Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks – 112 caps, 25 points), Jean Kleyn (Munster – 2 caps, 0 points), Marvin Orie (Perpignan – 14 caps, 0 points), RG Snyman (Munster – 26 caps, 5 points).

Loose Forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz – 69 caps, 30 points), Siya Kolisi (captain – Racing 92 – 75 caps, 45 points), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs – 33 caps, 25 points), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls – 12 caps, 0 points), Duane Vermeulen (SA Rugby – 68 caps, 15 points), Jasper Wiese (Leicester – 22 caps, 5 points).

Utility Forwards: Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers – 7 caps, 0 points), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat – 65 caps, 15 points).

Backs:

Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles – 48 caps, 44 points), Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks – 12 caps, 12 points), Cobus Reinach (Montpelllier – 25 caps, 45 points), Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks – 4 caps, 0 points).

Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers – 7 caps, 45 points), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers – 31 caps, 36 points).

Centres: Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights – 72 caps, 50 points), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins – 13 caps, 0 points), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles – 61 caps, 60 points).

Outside Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls – 9 caps, 50 points), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath – 25 caps, 81 points), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls – 86 caps, 65 points), Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks – 38 caps, 115 points), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls – 6 caps, 10 points).