Meyer sings Pollard praises, but Clevermike does not

Meyer sings Pollard praisesby Brenden Nel 14 August 2014, 14:00

If there was ever any doubt just how much Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer rates IRB Junior Player of the year Handre Pollard as a match-winner and future Springbok great, his comments in naming the flyhalf in the starting line-up for Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship opener against Argentina would have dispelled that for ever.

Pollard was preferred to regular Morne Steyn and utility Pat Lambie by Meyer to make his second test start on Saturday, continuing the meteoric rise for the SA under-20 captain after an impressive debut against Scotland in Port Elizabeth.

There is no doubt Meyer knows what he has in both Steyn and Lambie. Lambie’s versatility and Steyn’s rock-solid kicking ability make them both valuable assets to the Bok cause.

But neither of them possesses the x-factor that Pollard does – the closest thing South Africa has seen to a complete flyhalf this millennium, and one which Meyer believes can well become a Bok great if he knuckles down, remains humble and continues on his current path.

For that reason the Bok coach is backing him against Los Pumas on Saturday, not only because he wants him to build up as much experience as possible, but also because he is playing on his home ground, is a settled member of the squad now and has the opportunity to start cementing a place for himself in next year’s Rugby World Cup squad.

It won’t be a surprise if Pollard is the starting flyhalf for the World Cup, but first he will need to find his feet and settle into the position during this year’s Rugby Championship. How he handles the pressure and how he excels is up to him, but it is certain that the Bok coach supports him all the way.

“He is only 20 years old, but he is a very mature 20 year old. I’ve watched him since he was a 15-year old and he has always impressed me,” Meyer explained when asked about Pollard’s characteristics.

Clevermike" He is more like a Morne Steyn type of player". 

“What makes him an unbelievable prospect, and he knows there still is a lot of hard work ahead. The great thing about him is – and you don’t find a lot of this – he has an unbelievable attacking game, he is good enough to have a good tactical game. You don’t find that a lot in a number of 10s. Most of them are good tactical flyhalves or they are running flyhalves. Handre is almost too big and tall for 10, and that will always be his challenge, especially with his speed and reaction to kick under pressure.

“But he is mentally tough and the other thing that impresses me is his leadership quality. I always believe you have to have a 10 that the players trust, a 10 that the players know is cool-headed and don’t mind if he takes charge of the calls because they trust him. They know he is cool and calm under pressure.”

Meyer added that he could see Pollard switching to inside centre later in his career, but with his solid defence and attacking game, he could play both positions equally well.

“He also has a good running game, that’s why I believe he will be a good 12 as well. His kicking percentage at poles was 83% in Super Rugby. Most of the teams also now attack the 10/12 channel, and he is a superb defender and he is big enough to knock guys back, even forwards.

“So there are no grey areas in his game, and especially attacking abilities he is great to watch. The The one thing I said to him is that he has to keep his feet on the ground, don’t get ahead on himself, and to work on his kicking game and at poles. That is the one area he can work on as a youngster.

“He has got a good defence and attack, a great mindset both on and off the field and like I said, the one thing that always ticks a box for me is he is a great leader.

“He has been the best player at the under-20 tournament and worldwide at that level he has been renowned as a world class player and now it is just to stay humble and take it to the next level.

“I believe in him, I’ve always believed in him. I think he can be a world class player going forward.”

So far the signs are exciting for Pollard and given Meyer’s career highlights have often been by backing a young ten to produce the goods, if Pollard fulfils the expectations of him, Bok rugby will be a lot stronger heading to England next year. 

Clevermike" He is more like a Morne Steyn type of player". 

While The Oom was hot to trot about Swiel and Dave wasa Jantjies man....Pollard escaped their radar screens.  

 Sharkbok
Are you reacting to something I wrote two years ago - like the childish Ceradunce and the even more so Mozart carried on with their " Wheeee - you said differently in the past and we will tell the world you did"  type of bullshit? 
 Grow up and start thinking about what the situation is today - not what it was 2 years ago.   The two children oif ignorance are stuck in the past mode - must you also do so?   

clevermike

Status: Hall Of Fame
Posts: 12257 RE: Meyer sings Pollard praises, but Clevermike does not
August 15, 2014, 08:36:05  Sharkbok
Are you reacting to something I wrote two years ago - like the childish Ceradunce and the even more so Mozart carried on with their " Wheeee - you said differently in the past and we will tell the world you did"  type of bullshit? 
 Grow up and start thinking about what the situation is today - not what it was 2 years ago.   The two children oif ignorance are stuck in the past mode - must you also do so?   
Oh dear. One day someone might come along that might find a way of explaining things to this clown. This entire issue would never have resurfaced, had he not implied that he and his buddy Safesex were punting Pollard as a future great flyhalf two years ago.

Now, knowing you the way we do, it was obvious that someone would go and dig up what you said. Had you not been someone who is exposed on a weekly basis, nobody would even have thought about checking up on what you said two years ago. You even made it easy for whoever wanted to check up on it by providing the search filter, i.e. two years ago.

As I said, you don't have to remember what you said if you don't bullshit. I have warned you about this time and time again.

Ceradunce
Still the Childish bullshit - you really are dumb if you do not understand that.   It is not necessary to repeat a message under the same thread - everyone can see it already - dunce.     
Who cares what anyone said last year or earlier based on information available then - because unlike what twits like you and Mozart believes - things change and is not stuck in the past.  Your contribution is absolute BS -you cannot understand present situations then you are a worthless oxygen thief.  
I am not afraid of any "exposure" by the Board two top dunces.   They are mired in teh past and cannot think about anything else.  That is why tyou areally are a Dof Doos.  
 

clevermike

Status: Hall Of Fame
Posts: 12261 RE: Meyer sings Pollard praises, but Clevermike does not
August 15, 2014, 09:45:17 Ceradunce
Still the Childish bullshit - you really are dumb if you do not understand that.   It is not necessary to repeat a message under the same thread - everyone can see it already - dunce.     
Who cares what anyone said last year or earlier based on information available then - because unlike what twits like you and Mozart believes - things change and is not stuck in the past.  Your contribution is absolute BS -you cannot understand present situations then you are a worthless oxygen thief.  
I am not afraid of any "exposure" by the Board two top dunces.   They are mired in teh past and cannot think about anything else.  That is why tyou areally are a Dof Doos. 

You do because you brought it up. As I said elsewhere, it would not have been any issue if it was true, but you were bullshitting...... again.

Clevermike, 
I am just joking around. 
With regards to Saffex though, he frequently calls people that disagree with his selections idiots, fools etc. He chops and changes them so much, that he contradicts himself and tries to lie his way out of ever supporting a player. Changing opinion is one thing, but calling someone an idiot who does not agree with the Saffex selections , especially when Saffex himself had the same selections in the not so distant past. People are looking back in time to hold him accountable to what he said in the past. 

In general though just as we are all entitled to change our opinions, we should also be accountable for our past opinions. If people want to take credit for an early selection before other people, they should also admit the selections they got wrong. 

Sharkbok

Status: Senior player
Posts: 3505 RE: Meyer sings Pollard praises, but Clevermike does not
August 15, 2014, 16:25:02 Clevermike, 
I am just joking around. 
With regards to Saffex though, he frequently calls people that disagree with his selections idiots, fools etc. He chops and changes them so much, that he contradicts himself and tries to lie his way out of ever supporting a player. Changing opinion is one thing, but calling someone an idiot who does not agree with the Saffex selections , especially when Saffex himself had the same selections in the not so distant past. People are looking back in time to hold him accountable to what he said in the past. 

In general though just as we are all entitled to change our opinions, we should also be accountable for our past opinions. If people want to take credit for an early selection before other people, they should also admit the selections they got wrong. 


Good luck with that one.

It will never happen...some people are just too insecure to admit their mistakes.  

Looks like we have at least 3 threads against Clevermike going on in parallel. Are there any games this weekend I wonder

 Pollard is certainly one of our better flyhalves, but I hope Meyer use him with care. We saw what happened with Gaffie du Toit and lets try and prevent the same thing not happen to Pollard.  

I think Pollard is more mature and his leadership experience will help. But I agree, Gaffie was a huge talent, the fastest player in our 98 team, with a huge boot...he was in effect destroyed by too much responsibility too early.

 @Blkkies. HM has been "guarding" Pollard for years. I do not see him stuffing iit up now. 

 JE
The three threads are all run by our three resident morons.  So dom't waorry about them - I can handle their idiocy.
Ceramoron
Meyer had nothing to do with Pollard before he went to the bulls at the beginning of 2013.   That is not years bullshitter and even then he was in 2013  playing rugby on a level - under 21 for the Bulls and University Cup for the Tukkies  - where I believe Meyer as National Coach had very little direct impact on.  He only started getting on the Bulls Su per 15 bench this year in April.  Meyer may have been following his career - but as to "guarding" him is real BS as normally expected from you.   

 Saff never gets it wrong....just ask him and he'll tell you.

 
clevermike

Ssus: Hall Of Fame
Posts: 12281 RE: Meyer sings Pollard praises, but Clevermike does not
August 16, 2014, 10:15:46  JE
The three threads are all run by our three resident morons.  So dom't waorry about them - I can handgle their idiocy.
Ceramoron
Meyer had nothing to do with Pollard before he went to the bulls at the beginning of 2013.   That is not years bullshitter and even then he was in 2013  playing rugby on a level - under 21 for the Bulls and University Cup for the Tukkies  - where I believe Meyer as National Coach had very little direct impact on.  He only started getting on the Bulls Super 15 bench this year in April.  Meyer may have been following his career - but as to "guarding" him is real BS as normally expected from you.   

Fuck but some people just don't know when to sit back and carefully read and then think about what they have been reading. I am sure that Blikkies knows exactly what I mean. My biggest mistake is that I failed to remember that we have the likes of you, with limited mental capacity, who would not more than two short sentences.

At least you have noticed that I had "guarding" in "  ". The reason why I used the inverted commas is where it becomes a conundrum for you. The result is that I will now have to bore the rest of the people with a lengthy explanation, just to get you on par.

I did not mean that Meyer was literally more or less his body guard. It was just a figure of speech, hence the inverted commas.

HM spotted Pollard as a fifteen year old schoolboy and already earmarked him for a move to the Bulls. He was the one who set the wheels in motion for Pollard to make the move to Pretoria. He was also the one who was behind the idea of having Pollard play at Tuks for a period. Remember that HM used to be the Advisor to Tuks Rugby. You can go back in the media and you would find that when Johan Goosen got injured  and was ruled out of the 2012 JRWC, it was HM who got Dawie Theron to call up Pollard to take over. This is no fabrication. It was in the media. HM knew that Pollard was eventually end up in the Bok squad.

That was why I said to Blikkies that HM was "guarding" Pollard. That is why I said I don't think that HM will not stuff up with Pollard. Why would he? He has had his eye on him for five years.

And then we have a few fools around here who say that HM do not know young talent when he sees it. The big difference between HM and some other coaches is that he knows how to handle and manage young talent. Taking each and every twenty year old and throwing them into the deep end, like some other coaches, is not his style.

If someone with the mindset of one of TTM, was the coach he would probably have had a backline along the lines of the following against the ABs and Aus:

Reinach, Pollard, some twenty year old, Serfontein, Jordaan, some twenty year old and Willie le Roux, and then, when the shit hits the fan, they will just blame Apartheid and  replace them with the next set of twenty year olds.