Another view on Pollard

Believe in Pollard but pick Steyn

• 18 Aug 2014
 
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Handré Pollard deserves our patience and investment

Handré Pollard would have learned valuable lessons from the Springboks' Rugby Championship opener but Morné Steyn is the man for Salta, writes RYAN VREDE.

I remain perplexed at the reaction to the team performance and scoreline at Loftus. Those were some of the worst conditions I've ever seen a Test match played in and that had a tremendous bearing on all aspects of the Springboks' performance. Notably, individuals were picked out as being incompetent, with Pollard among them. This is an immature response that lacks perspective. 

Pollard struggled just like a number of senior players did. Certainly he would reflect on his performance with disappointment, but the lessons in there will stand him in good stead, particularly with the possibility that he will experience something similar on the northern hemisphere tour in November, and, more pertinently, at the 2015 World Cup.

Pollard has jumped the flyhalf queue in the last six months and the deputy spot to Steyn is his to lose. Indeed he could well edge Steyn as the incumbent in the next 12 months should his performance curve continue to climb as it has in 2013. But he isn't at a point where a watertight case can be made for him ahead of Steyn just yet. 

Steyn settled things at Loftus when he replaced Pollard, his tactical-kicking game and decision-making under pressure were superior on the day. He would have experienced similar conditions, made the mistakes Pollard did and remedied those as a result. Saturday was critical in the process of Pollard's refinement but the return Test in Salta on Saturday demands Steyn's selection.

The Springboks laboured to their 22-17 victory in Mendoza last year and were stunned in a 16-16 draw in 2012. The Pumas find something extra on home soil and Steyn would be the safer and more logical pick in the context of the fixture's history. 

Meyer may, of course, opt to test Pollard's mettle in that cauldron. I would be able to see merit in such a selection, given that Pollard certainly would not be a liability and the experience of fronting Argentina in that environment would undoubtedly accelerate his development. I wrote last week that this was a defining tournament for Meyer in terms of settling on the core of the squad he'll take to the World Cup, and entrusting Pollard with a starting berth once more would be a step towards that goal.

That said, I believe a more measured blooding of the kid would be better and Meyer is likely to go that route given his history of managing players of Pollard's ilk and the fact that he has a highly competent option in Steyn at his disposal. 

On the evidence of what we've seen in Super Rugby, the Junior World Championship and in the formative phase of his Test career, Pollard is worth our faith and investment. The knee-jerk reaction to his struggle on Saturday was indicative of our immaturity as a rugby public. It was the struggle of a gifted but raw rookie, not the struggle of a terminally hopeless one

 

As we see above 60 per cent would pick Pollard...40 per cent would pick Morne. There are arguments both ways. But whatever decision is made, the Bargies will be fired up...the environment will be hostile.

The mistake we made on Saturday was not building a lead when we could. Likewise this next game won't define our WC, but it could define our RC. Focus on the win.  

 yes i agree morne must start he is just so damn cool under pressure kinda like butch it breeds confidence. we need someone to direct play and nobody is doing it better than him. wr cannot get iff to a bad start or lose control.

Who would we want starting the world Cup in 2015? Pollard for sure, so he needs game time to make the position his own.
With Goosen so injury prone and Lambie average, Morne can be the 2nd choice backup.However we need a flyhalf that can attack the advantage line, and play the direct style that the Boks need for good backline attacking rugby. 

After this close call HM will be selecting his best available oaks for the return match...... rotation time's over ek se .

 we dont have the centres to play flat attack only. morne plays flat enough when er need it. it just isnt the problem at all. 

Bonzo  
Morne was so cool - the charge down kick that could have lost a win for us - was the result of his COOLNESDS.   He is not cool - he is clueless.  The crowd boo-ed him - go and look again at minute 56-57 of the test on Friday and find out why.
Hope Meyer does not go back to that match-loser again - it would be disastrous.     

 
Tell me Bozo ... since when does Morne play flat?

He stands next to the full back.

Please do us all a favour and pull your head out your arse.

Sure I asked you for this favour before.

DumbASS!!

 There are probably two cases to be made here. I personally would take a risk and play both Reinach and Pollard. I would also put whitely at 8 and move Vermulen to 7.
Loodt and eben at lock.
Now one has ateam with a tough pack but a pack that can handle the running game. Now is the time to play that running game. we havea very dangerous backline if Reinach and Pollard start. We need to get the attacking game going. Also why tak on the Argies at their strong point. We can match them or more there but our backline should rip em and get the 4 tries bonus point. 
Gonz ou where do you think the problem lies?

 If I may...the problem is with Pienaar.....a no-brainer if one compare the Boks with when FDP played.

 
Firstly we need a tight 5 that can stand their ground.

We've seen them man handled this year by all and sundry. Unacceptable. It seems Meyer hasn't noticed the hiding we received this past Saturday.

When we were scrummed into the ground earlier this year by a make shift bunch of old timers, that too seems to have gone unnoticed.

Maybe he thinks that if he ignores the problem it'll go away.

Apart from being a poor scrummager, Jannie's a very poor defender and a penalty machine. Yellow cards and back chatting the ref is not what we need at 3.

I'm sorry but Coetzee really doesn't do it for me. Not at 6 and definitely not at 7. He shouldn't be in the Bok mix at all.

The only person who seems to know why Pienaar's there is Meyer. The rest of us find ourselves scratching our heads, puzzled at his inclusion. Reinach on a bad day is a much better option.

That would already be a good start.

Oh ... and get rid of this fool of a coach.
 

 

 I think the problem is that the anti-morne brigade dont understand how rugby really works. if your 10 plays flat then what is going to happen? he is gonna get swarmed! so what do you need to make it work? your 12 needs to be closer to him and in alignment with him AS HE HITS THE FACE OF THE GAINLINE!!! Why? because its about fixing the opposition 10 and 12 and forcing their 13 to make a decision. THAT is the flat attack. Morne does in fact play flat in certain areas of the pitch or for certain plays, but he also stands deep when deep in our half, but mostly mid-point in the green zone. thats more-or-less what he is supposed to do with exceptions depending on what is going on on the pitch. Like the habana try against wales last november, he broke from the script of sending a big runner down channel 2 and sent that long pass in behind to free up the outside backs. he is the only 10 is south africa is making these kinds of decisions and executing them properly. But i ask you in all seriousness mika how often do our centres run good lines? fourie is the ONLY centre in history to run real lines and properly read the defence and offence. thats pretty much hit the nail on the head... our runners dont create options hell most of them dont even know how to draw and pass and dont even fix their man. i cringe because so many actually run towards the player their about to pass to and the defender can just drift and catch either player! goosen does this too. morne has never been the problem, with the exception of guys like lambie and goosen who are rubbish players we never have problems at 10. we've always had at least one or two good 10s in every generation. but no centres and our coaches dont ever use them properly. next time you watch a bok test or download a game pause just as morne passes and look at every player around him. youll often times see most players standing still or ball watching and only one player ready to catch a pass who runs into a body. thats the problem. now do the same thing wth new zealand. youll see their 10 surrounded by players running lines and creating options for him.
     and dont talk to me about a charge down mika, lambie made FOUR in one test in 2011 against australia and everyone PRAISED HIM for it. Besides its hardly the norm, and the overall state of his performance was that he steadied the team. if he wasnt there the boks may well have lost mika. and these are the facts that everyone in the know accepts.
     I ask ya'll this... how long are we gonna hear the same pile of shit about morne and backplay. year after year after fucking year its stuffed down our faces almost with the same wording. its always wrng, always was wrong and will never be not wrong. i swear to god if i have to read another article about this shit my eyes will bleed. grow some balls, brains and grow up people.

 
Listen Bozo the Clown ... I in all honesty tired to read your piece but found myself on the floor in hysterics, so I gave up.

I have just one question for you and that is ... were you born with a red nose or did you have to purchase one yourself?

I suppose every board needs a moron to give it character ... but I ask you ... is it fair that we had to have THE moron of all morons?

 

 

 so in other words you dont know enough about the game to come up with a real response? hahahahaha! the white flag approach... perfectly you.

 
It depends, Bozo ... what sport are you talking about?

Is it perhaps bowls? Horse shoes? Yukskei maybe?

Either way, I don't have any interest in these sports so I can't respond.