Lets go back to 2014 as an example. Before the Johannesburg test between the Springboks and the AB's he said - "We know what to expect from Morne Steyn - but we do not know what to expect from Pollard". What could be expected from Morne? Never attack the gain line - stand so deep in the pocket that only hospital passes would be possible and totally stupid, inaccurate and aimless kicks was to be expected. It is a disaster when a flyhalf is predictable and what Hansen said was 100% accurate.
Pollard in 2014 played in the Under 20WC and came back from there in mid-June. The Welsh were here and Morne made one foul up after another in the two tests played against them - especially in the second test he was pathetic. There was another test to be played against the Scots and Morne was off to France - so Meyer brought in Pollard at flyhalf - he played like champion in that test.
So come the Super Rugby series and the Springboks were up against Argentina. There were three issues standing out about the Pretoria test, namely -
* the atrocious playing conditions;
* the scrumming disaster - Jannie and Beast was in retreat faster than jet speed and Bakkies Botha in his last game for the Springboks was worthless - so the balls they got back from, the forwards were really disastrously poor;
* Pienaar was the scrummie and although he scored a try - his service was poor.
Pollard had a quiet game having been sidelined at flyhalf. He in total handled the ball 10 times at least three of those was when he recovered kicked balls. So of the 43 balls passed by Pienaar - 7 went to Pollard.
So come the second test in Salta, There were two issues needed to be mentioned:-
* The scrumming disaster continued - Jannie and Steenkamp was in retreat faster than jet speed - so the balls they got back from the forwards were really disastrously poor;
* Pienaar was the scrummie and his service was poor.
Pollard had a quiet game having been sidelined at flyhalf. He in total handled the ball 13 times at least 4 of those was when he recovered kicked balls. So of the 27 balls passed by Pienaar - 9 went to Pollard.
The destruction of Pollard as a player commenced in dead earnest in accordance with Meyer's crazy game plan. Ignore the flyhalf and the backline.
Steyn was a disaster in the away tests against the AB's and the Aussies, The AB tests could have been won had Matfield not buggered up in a line-out five meters out making a diving maul impossible. However, the real Steyn disaster was in the Perth test where he virtually on his own lost the game for the Springboks by missing a penalty line kick. After that disaster Meyer at least realize4d that Morne was useless and even though he selected him for the 2015 WC squad he got about 10 minutes playing time.
The next test Pollard played was the Johannesburg test. Pollard was a real champion in that game and scored two tries. The test was won by the Springboks -
* despite another line out foul-up by Matfield leading to an AB try; and
* a 55 meter penalty kick converted by Lambie.
So off to the EOYT - where Pollard was used at flyhalf. He was very average in that test - but clearly blamed for the loss against the Irish as Meyer did not select him as starting flyhalf again before the Samoa game in the 2015 World Cup, Back to Meyer's game plan and the flyhalf was sidelined effectively once again.
So Pollard had two very good tests and a string of average ones under Meyer. Tat was entirely due to Meyer's demented game plan.
Now forward to 2018. Pollard under Mitchell is a different player totally from what he was under Meyer and Ludeke. He is now showing the same attributes as he did in the JWC, the Scottish and AB tests in 2014 and I am sure that the 2014 comments of Hansen about him is back in full force.
