We have seen Pollard move to 12, when Elon Jantjies has come onto the pitch in the 2nd half.
However, Rassie now says he wants Pollard to start some games at 12 this season.
Pollard played well in all his games at 12, where as he has not stood out at 10 for years now. Elton Jantjies has made the team more expansive.
Like Willemse and even Pat Lambie, Pollard's playmaking ability seems better from 12
Willemse and Lambie at 12 were catastrophes. Pollard does have the ingredients to be successful at 12, but he doesn't have to be played there when Esterhuizen is available. Besides, what's the setup going to be? Currently we have two setups: The deep-lying 12, and the flatter basher. Esterhuizen has unfortunately had to live off of scraps each and every time he has played in the former role. Damian is given the latter, where he fails to assert any meaningful physical presence. His crashballs are often dumped backwards. He also cannot link up. The few times he has had Am outside him, he has failed every time to do something constructive. Pollard would be an improvement in this regard, as he is a solid distributor when he wants to be, and has far, far better field and tactical awareness. 10 is usually just a passive link behind a pod anyway. The Bok setup doesn't really benefit from the strengths that Jantjies brings. The gameplan doesn't empower player decision making. Unless we completely scrap the Bok model under Erasputin, I really don't see what we can do. Changing personnel isn't enough.
No retort? Par for the course for old Saddex.
@Saffex;
This is the article.
https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/pollard-12-boks/
What may be a bigger concern is having Pollard fit for the whole world cup. Injuries seem to be increasing.
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Pollard at 12 for Boks?
Handre Pollard and Damian Willemseepa10119226 South Africa's Handre Pollard (L) and Damian Willemse (R) celebrate a try during the 2022 Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand held at the Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa, 13 August 2022.
Published on June 18, 2023
The Springboks are considering fielding Handre Pollard at inside centre as part of their preparation for the World Cup.
According to Sunday newspaper Rapport, the Springboks aim to give Pollard the No 12 jersey in one of the six Test matches before the World Cup, with Damian Willemse starting alongside him at flyhalf.
“We definitely see Handre as an option at 12,” director of rugby Rassie Erasmus told Rapport.
“In the past, we talked about the possibility of Handre as an inside centre, and moved him there in the middle of some Tests. But now the possibility should not be ruled out that he can start in the No 12 jersey in a few Tests.”
Pollard has never started a Test at inside centre and will still be seen as a flyhalf first and foremost at the World Cup, but the Springboks feel a playmaking combination with Willemse can boost their attack, while not taking away from their tactical kicking or goal-kicking.
The experiment is unlikely to take place in the opening Rugby Championship matches against Australia in Pretoria and New Zealand in Auckland, as both Pollard and Willemse are struggling with injuries.
While both players are expected to recover in time for the World Cup, the Springboks have called up Elton Jantjies as flyhalf cover.
Following the Tests at Loftus Versfeld and the Mount Smart Stadium, the Springboks will face Argentina in Johannesburg (29 July) and Buenos Aires (5 August), before taking on Wales in Cardiff (19 August) and finishing their preparation against the All Blacks at Twickenham (25 August).
This will be another Farrell flop. Handre is a good in traffic runner and a solid unit. His defense has never been that great though. Added to which, as we saw against Munster, Libbok is not a reliable player in high pressure games….more of a bench option.
That's the thing Moz, several years ago, I'd have said Frans at 10 with Pollard at 12 could work. But who do we play at 10 if Pollard is at 12? Are we really going to have the headless chicken that is Willemse at 10? That's laughable to me. Four years later, and Erasputin has no idea what this team should look like. His best bet is to throw the Willemse spaghetti at the wall? Have we ever been more lost? At this rate, who would want to be the next Bok coach?
Delande is good, but the opposition has seen him play for ages. Rotating with a 2nd choice will keep the opposition guessing.
If Pollard gets into top form, I back him for 10. However, having him at 12 outside Libock could be a good experiment.
Damian hasn't had one successful test. That's a fact. Am has potential, but it's regressing under Erasputin. Our midfield has been exceedingly ineffective under the entirety of Erasputin's clown show.
Reference these great contributions Saddex. So good was Dumpy Dumbian that your boy Erasputin wants Willemse and Pollard at 12. You're a laugh a minute Saddex! You have no answers.
You haven't referenced anything. You can never tell anyone exactly what it is that this player does well and when his flaws are presented to you clearly you deny everything. You are unteachable Saddex, and a liar of note.
