It's a case of blink and you'll miss him! Vodacom Bulls' coach Johan Ackermann has dropped a bit of a bombshell, announcing that Handré Pollard, the Springbok flyhalf, will grace the field for just a single match in the URC this season, facing off against Ulster before he jets back to South African shores.
Pollard, who hasn’t donned a Bulls jersey since the pre-pandemic days of 2019, is set to stir things up in Belfast, bringing a much-needed lift to the squad as they embark on their three-match tour across Ireland and Scotland. Fresh from his Rugby Championship glories, including a stellar performance against the Wallabies in Cape Town, Pollard's return is timely, though his stint will be short-lived. After a tough game against the All Blacks in Auckland, where the Boks fell 24-17, Pollard found himself sidelined from the match 23 for the rest of the series.
Ackermann made it clear on Friday, "
'Of course, with a player like Handré there are expectations. Even if he hasn’t played for a couple of weeks, everyone knows the quality he brings. But we also have to support him – it can’t all be on him.'
He'll play this one match and then return to South Africa, so we want to make the most of his influence while he’s here. He’s brought real calmness, class and leadership this week and fitted in quickly with the group."
Joining Pollard in the starting XV are fellow Rugby Championship winners Wilco Louw, Marco van Staden, and Canan Moodie, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels warming the bench. Despite shuffling seven players around for this tour, Ackermann is optimistic about finding their groove, "
'When you make seven changes to the starting team, there will always be questions around continuity. But apart from Handré, these are players who have been part of the group for a long time. We’ve tried to think carefully about combinations. Hopefully it won’t take us long to find rhythm.'
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The Bulls have kicked off their URC season with a bang, securing two home bonus-point wins and topping the leaderboard. However, Ackermann isn't getting carried away, especially with the challenge that Ravenhill presents. He noted, "Playing Ulster in Belfast is always tough. The crowd is passionate, noisy and right on top of you – it’s similar to Loftus in that sense. It’s a proud club with a lot of tradition. We can’t control the crowd or the weather, only our mindset, attitude and positivity."
As the Bulls brace for their only match with Pollard at the helm, it's clear they're hoping to make a significant impact at Ravenhill, riding on the wave of his leadership and skill. Whether this whirlwind appearance is a strategic masterstroke or a fleeting glimpse of what could have been, only time will tell.
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It's a case of blink and you'll miss him! Vodacom Bulls' coach Johan Ackermann has dropped a bit of a bombshell, announcing that Handré Pollard, the Springbok flyhalf, will grace the field for just a single match in the URC this season, facing off against Ulster before he jets back to South African shores.
Pollard, who hasn’t donned a Bulls jersey since the pre-pandemic days of 2019, is set to stir things up in Belfast, bringing a much-needed lift to the squad as they embark on their three-match tour across Ireland and Scotland. Fresh from his Rugby Championship glories, including a stellar performance against the Wallabies in Cape Town, Pollard's return is timely, though his stint will be short-lived. After a tough game against the All Blacks in Auckland, where the Boks fell 24-17, Pollard found himself sidelined from the match 23 for the rest of the series.
Ackermann made it clear on Friday, "
'Of course, with a player like Handré there are expectations. Even if he hasn’t played for a couple of weeks, everyone knows the quality he brings. But we also have to support him – it can’t all be on him.'
He'll play this one match and then return to South Africa, so we want to make the most of his influence while he’s here. He’s brought real calmness, class and leadership this week and fitted in quickly with the group."Joining Pollard in the starting XV are fellow Rugby Championship winners Wilco Louw, Marco van Staden, and Canan Moodie, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels warming the bench. Despite shuffling seven players around for this tour, Ackermann is optimistic about finding their groove, "
'When you make seven changes to the starting team, there will always be questions around continuity. But apart from Handré, these are players who have been part of the group for a long time. We’ve tried to think carefully about combinations. Hopefully it won’t take us long to find rhythm.'
"The Bulls have kicked off their URC season with a bang, securing two home bonus-point wins and topping the leaderboard. However, Ackermann isn't getting carried away, especially with the challenge that Ravenhill presents. He noted, "Playing Ulster in Belfast is always tough. The crowd is passionate, noisy and right on top of you – it’s similar to Loftus in that sense. It’s a proud club with a lot of tradition. We can’t control the crowd or the weather, only our mindset, attitude and positivity."
As the Bulls brace for their only match with Pollard at the helm, it's clear they're hoping to make a significant impact at Ravenhill, riding on the wave of his leadership and skill. Whether this whirlwind appearance is a strategic masterstroke or a fleeting glimpse of what could have been, only time will tell.
TEAM: Pollard, Louw, van Staden, Moodie, Wessels