Overseas pundits bash Springboks: ‘They’re undermining Libbok’
The Springboks have once again been criticised by ‘outsiders’, who have questioned the call-up of flyhalf Handre Pollard.
Pollard reported for duty at the Springboks’ World Cup camp in Paris on Monday, having been called up as an injury replacement for Malcolm Marx.
Some have questioned why another specialist hooker wasn’t called up, as well as how the Boks plan to deploy Pollard considering that Manie Libbok has acquitted himself well up until this point.
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Former Ireland international Andrew Trimble is now one of those ‘outside’ pundits who has aimed thinly-veiled criticism at the Springboks
“As much as (Siya) Kolisi at the press conference stood up and defended Manie Libbok, then they bring in Pollard,” he told Virgin Media Sport.
“They’ve been saying: ‘We’ve got Libbok’s back, we know he’s going to sort out his kicking game,’ but if you pick Pollard, that kind of undermines that.”
Ex-Scotland head coach Matt Williams, who previously criticised the Springboks for their use of a 7-1 bench, also questioned the call-up.
“They said: ‘We’re not going to take guys away, we’re never going to do it.’ Yeah, right, mate,” he said.
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THE SPRINGBOKS HAVE WELCOMED POLLARD BACK
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus made it clear that Pollard would have to get back up to speed with the team’s training sessions before he is selected to play.
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“Handre has joined us, but he won’t come in (the selection mix) immediately unless we have injuries,” said Erasmus.
“He only returned to playing last Friday, and we must first get him up to speed with the training sessions and then we’ll get him back in the mix.”
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ETZEBETH RECOVERS AS POLLARD RETURNS
Meanwhile, Eben Etzebeth is said to have made a faster than expected recovery from injury, and he has already managed to complete two full training sessions in Bordeaux, where the Springboks prepared to face Romania.
“He will be able to play again in about four or five days,” Mzwandile Stick said during a press conference on Saturday. “He surprised us. He trained hard in the gym yesterday.”
It means Etzebeth will almost certainly be available to face Ireland, with Franco Mostert likely to partner him in the second row.
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The Springboks will make the journey from Bordeaux to Paris on Monday where they will begin their preparations for Saturday’s round-three RWC clash against Ireland.
Pollard has joined the #Springboks in Paris as Etzebeth was given the green light to face Ireland – more here: https://t.co/pGsm2fPNV0 👍#StrongerTogether #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/XscKaNY2Hg
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 18, 2023