Pollard chosen to combine with Du Preez
FLYHALF Handré Pollard is ready to test Samoa on the gain line in this weekend’s crucial second round World Cup match for the Springboks, writes Craig Ray.
After last Saturday’s surprise 34-32 loss to Japan, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is set to make changes with Pollard taking over from Pat Lambie and Morné Steyn coming back into the squad on the bench.
Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez is also set to start, and Rudy Paige poised for a first cap from the bench. Du Preez will combine with Pollard for only the second time after the duo started together against Scotland last June.
Paige and Pollard have regularly played together at Super Rugby level for the Bulls.
Pollard’s physical presence and ability to hold defences up by playing close to the opposition could be important against a team as physical as Samoa.
“I don’t have experience of playing them at this level, although I did play against Samoa at the Junior World Cup, so I will have to do my homework,” Pollard said.
“But I will take the ball to the gain line even more, and confront them. I won’t stand back because they are a physical side. We have to go through them first before we can go around them, so we have to be more direct than before.
“We have to have composure, which is something we’ve been struggling with. But we keep working at it and it will click one of these days,” he said.
Captain Jean de Villiers, who is understood to be playing for his place, will be shifted to outside centre with Damian de Allende taking over the No 12 jersey and Jesse Kriel dropping to the bench.
JP Pietersen will start on the wing instead of Lwazi Mvovo and Willie le Roux will return to fullback in place of Zane Kirchner.
Up front, No 8 Duane Vermeulen will make his much anticipated return after neck surgery, with Schalk Burger moving to the flank and Pieter-Steph du Toit falling out altogether.
Lock Eben Etzebeth will swap places with Lood de Jager, while the front row remains the same.
It is a team picked with physicality in mind, but also tactical awareness. Du Preez at scrumhalf will add much needed direction, one of the many aspects missing against Japan last Saturday.
Wing Bryan Habana, who is five tries short of the World Cup record of 15 held by All Black Jonah Lomu, warned against writing the Boks off completely after their loss to Japan. “The confidence in this squad has never subsided, but we still have belief that we can go on and do something special,” he said.