Pollard in the frame for Westpac
Bok rotation continues amid fitness concerns over Mbonambi’s fitness
Handrè Pollard is expected to return to the Springboks’ starting lineup and face the All Blacks at Westpac Stadium on Saturday as part of coach Rassie Erasmus’ rotation policy.
Erasmus gave the strongest indication yet that the Bulls pivot could start against the New Zealanders in this Rugby Championship showdown with Elton Jantjies, who started in the loss to Australia in Brisbane last weekend, dropping to the bench.
“This weekend we will probably go with Pollard and give Elton the last two minutes or so,” said Erasmus at the Boks’ team hotel on Monday.
“The two guys who are going to the World Cup are Handrè and Elton.
“Guys like Pat Lambie, Frans Steyn and Damian Willemse might be in the mix.
‘‘Elton has come here to New Zealand for a few Super Rugby finals with the Lions ...... we can’t just pick Pollard only and not give him a chance.
‘‘Otherwise we will go to the World Cup with only one flyhalf who has started matches.”
Erasmus added that the Boks’ rivals are giving other players in their ranks opportunities with an eye on the World Cup as it is important to go to next year’s tournament in Japan with all the playing personnel having played competitive matches.
“Look at the flyhalf that New Zealand played last weekend against Argentina and the pack and the centres they picked,” he said.
‘‘It is the same with Australia who played Kurtley Beale at number 10 against us and put regular Bernard Foley on the bench.
‘‘It is a natural thing with about 12 Test matches away from the World Cup to build experience on key positions.
‘‘We did it at hooker with Bongo Mbonambi starting ahead of Malcolm Marx.
‘‘We know that is our number one but we had to give Bongi a start against Australia away from home so that if we get to the World Cup and we have an injury, he would have started in a pressure game situation.”
In the 23-18 defeat against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday, Erasmus was bitterly criticised for replacing Mbonambi shortly after his throw from the lineout led to a try by Matt Toomua after 32nd minutes following miscommunication with captain Siya Kolisi.
But Erasmus said he had communicated with the Boks’ fitness trainer before the mistake happened and a decision had already been taken to replace him.
The Bok coach insisted that Mbonambi was struggling with his fitness.
“After 30 minutes I went to the fitness trainer and asked how Bongi was doing and he was struggling already.
‘‘It was after that lineout that we decided we were going to make the change and people must remember the line-out was not even his fault, it was Siya who was not at the right spot,” he said.