 Pollard in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1994-03-11)11 March 1994 (age 31) Somerset West,Cape Province, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 189 cm (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 98 kg (216 lb; 15 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Paarl Gimnasium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Pretoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Handré Pollard (born 11 March 1994) is a South African professionalrugby union player who currently plays for theBulls in theUnited Rugby Championship (URC) and theSouth Africa national team.[1] His regular playing positions are fly-half, where he started for South Africa in their2019 Rugby World Cup Final win, and inside-centre. He has previously played for theBlue Bulls in his native South Africa,Osaka Red Hurricanes in Japan,Montpellier in France, andLeicester Tigers in England'sPremiership Rugby.
He is one of 43 players to have won theRugby World Cup on multiple occasions, 24 of whom are South Africans.
Pollard earned a provincial call-up as early as primary school level, when he was selected in theWestern Province squad for the Under-13 Craven Week competition in 2007. He also represented them at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2010, before playing at the Under-18Craven Week competitions in 2011 and 2012. He also captained the SA schools under 18 side both in 2011 and 2012.
In July 2012, it was announced that Pollard would make the move toGauteng to joinPretoria-based team theBlue Bulls at the start of the 2013 season.[2] His first involvement in rugby in Pretoria came for university sideUP Tuks during the2013 Varsity Cup competition.[3] He did not play in the first match of the season, but then made three substitute appearances in their next three matches before being selected in the run-on side for their last three matches in the round-robin stage, the semi-final and the final, starting all those matches asinside centre. He was the main kicker for the UP Tuks team and scored 68 points in his side's run to the final, making him the tournament's second-highest points scorer behindUJ'sKobus de Kock.[4] He was also a key player in the final of the competition as he kicked five conversions and a penalty to contribute 17 points in UP Tuks' 44–5 victory as they retained the trophy they won in2012 Varsity Cup.[5]
During the 2013 Varsity Cup season, Pollard was also included in theBlue Bulls side that participated in the2013 Vodacom Cup competition. He made his provincial debut for theBlue Bulls on 9 March 2013 againstGriquas inKimberley. He came off the bench in the 62nd minute and scored two late conversions in their 40–32 victory.[6] His first start for the Blue Bulls came after the 2013 Varsity Cup, when he was named in the run-on side for their match against theEastern Province Kings in the quarter final of the competition. He scored eleven points, but could not prevent his side slipping to a 31–34 defeat.[7]
In June 2013, after signing a contract extension to keep him at theBlue Bulls until 2017,[8] Pollard was also named in theirCurrie Cup side for the2013 Currie Cup Premier Division season. He made his Currie Cup debut on 31 August 2013, starting for the Blue Bulls in their match against theSharks inDurban. Despite getting his first Currie Cup points after just six minutes – converting anAkona Ndungane try – the Blue Bulls suffered a 34–18 defeat in that match.[9] Pollard started a total of six matches in this competition, scoring 62 points to finish as the Blue Bulls' top points scorer in the competition and eighth overall[10] and also made four appearances for theBlue Bulls U21 side in the2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring 52 points.
Pollard was included in theBulls squad for the2014 Super Rugby season[11] and made his debut in the first round of the competition in a 31–16 defeat to theSharks inDurban, also scoring his firstSuper Rugby points by kicking a late conversion.[12][13] Initially used mainly as a substitute, he made his first Super Rugby start during their Round 12 match against South African rivals theCheetahs. Pollard had an eventful match, being sent to the sin-bin in the first half and contributing ten points with the boot as the Bulls ran out 26–21 winners.[14]
In 2015, Pollard extended his contract with the Blue Bulls until the end of the 2019 season.[15]
In June 2015, the Blue Bulls announced that Pollard would joinJapaneseTop League sideNTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka on a three-month deal between November 2015 and January 2016 for the2015–16 Top League season, but would return to the Bulls prior to the2016 Super Rugby season.[16] This was later confirmed by the Japanese side.[17]
In May 2019, the Blue Bulls confirmed that Pollard would joinTop 14 sideMontpellier after the2019 Rugby World Cup, having expressed his desire to continue his playing career in France during discussions about the renewal of his contract.[18] After announcing his departure Pollard continued to feature for Montpellier, eventually featuring from the bench as they won their first everTop 14 competition in a 29–10 win overCastres in the final.
In December 2021, Leicester Tigers confirmed they had signed Pollard fromTop 14 sideMontpellier at the end of the 2021/22 season. Pollard joined Tigers following the departure of George Ford to Sale Sharks.[19] Pollard made his Leicester debut as a replacement on 1 October 2022 in a 51–18 defeat toSaracens.
On 2 March 2025, it was confirmed that Pollard would return home to South Africa to rejoin theBulls in the URC competition on a lucrative offer ahead of the 2025-26 season.[20]
Pollard was included in aSouth African Schools side in 2012, where he scored 37 points in three appearances againstFrance,[21] Wales[22] andEngland.[23]
Pollard earned a call-up to theSouth African Under-20 team that won the2012 IRB Junior World Championship on home soil. Despite not playing in their first match againstIreland,[24] he started their remaining four matches. He kicked five conversions in their match againstItaly[25] and four conversions in their match againstEngland to help secure a semi-final berth for South Africa. Three conversions and two penalties followed in their 35–3 semi-final victory overArgentina to see the Baby Boks through to their first ever final against four-time championsNew Zealand. Once again, the boot of Pollard was largely responsible for their 22–16 victory in the final as he kicked four penalties and a drop-goal to lift the trophy for South Africa for the first time. Pollard finished as fourth top scorer overall in the competition with 42 points.[26]
Pollard was included in a training group that toured Argentina in preparation for the2013 IRB Junior World Championship[27] before being included in the final squad for the2013 IRB Junior World Championship in France.[28] Playing at inside centre, Pollard's kicking let him down in their 97–0 demolition of theUnited States in their opening match, scoring a penalty and one conversion out of six attempts before the kicking duties passed toRobert du Preez.[29] He did not kick at all in their match againstEngland,[30] but a switch back to fly-half for their final match against hostsFrance saw Pollard contribute eleven points with the boot as they won the match 26–19[31] to top their pool and qualify for a semi-final againstWales. Wales scored an 18–17 victory over the defending champions in their semi-final match with Pollard scoring seven points.[32] He rounded off his tournament by kicking a penalty and four conversions in the third-placed play-off match againstNew Zealand to finish the tournament with 34 points.[33]
Pollard was included in a South Africa Under-20 squad for the third time for the2014 IRB Junior World Championship,[34] and also named captain of the side.[35] As first-choice fly-half and kicker, this tournament proved to be Pollard's most prolific. He kicked seven conversions in their 61–5 victory overScotland in their opening match.[36] Three penalties, two conversions and his first ever try in the Junior World Championships helped South Africa record a 33–24 victory overNew Zealand in their second pool match[37] and he kicked three conversions as South Africa clinched their third consecutive semi-final place with a 21–8 victory overSamoa.[38]
They faced New Zealand again in the semi-final and Pollard helped South Africa secure their fourth consecutive victory over the Baby Blacks. He opened the scoring for South Africa with a 20th-minute try and also scored three conversions and two penalties in a 32–25 victory.[39] He scored a further ten points in the final as South Africa lost 20–21 toEngland to finish runners-up in the competition.[40]
Pollard was also briefly the leading points scorer in the history of the competition.[41] During the semi-final matches, both Pollard (with 131 points) andArgentina'sPatricio Fernández broke the record previously held byEngland'sTom Homer.[42] However, the 26 points scored by Fernández in their 9th-place play-off match againstScotland[43] meant that he became the new record holder with a total of 155 points, with Pollard in second place with 141 points.[44]
Pollard's performances also earned him a nomination for the 2014 Young Player of the Year award, alongsideNathan Earle,Tevita Li andGarry Ringrose.[45] At the conclusion of the tournament, Pollard was announced as the winner of the award.[46]
At the conclusion of the2014 IRB Junior World Championship, Pollard was called up to the seniorSpringbok squad for their final match of the2014 incoming tours series againstScotland.[47] With Springbok fly-halvesPatrick Lambie andJohan Goosen both injured andMorné Steyn withdrawn from the squad by French club sideStade Français,[48] Pollard was named as the starting fly-half for their match against Scotland.[49] He subsequently made his international debut on 28 June 2014 inPort Elizabeth, contributing thirteen points (five conversions and a penalty) to help South Africa convincingly win the match 55–6.[50]
A few weeks later, Pollard was included in a 30-man squad named by Springbok coachHeyneke Meyer for the2014 Rugby Championship.[51] He was named as the fly-half for the run-on side in their opening match of the competition againstArgentina atLoftus Versfeld; within two minutes of making hisRugby Championship debut, he scored his first points in this competition by convertingRuan Pienaar's early try. He also scored a penalty a few minutes later to help the Springboks to a 13–6 victory.[52] He was the starting fly-half in five of the Springboks' six matches during the competition –Morné Steyn starting their match againstAustralia inPerth – and was a key player in the Springboks' final match of the competition. In particular he scored two tries (his first at international level) and kicked a further nine points as the Springboks beatNew Zealand 27–25 inJohannesburg,[53] to help end New Zealand's 22-match unbeaten run dating back almost two years and their first ever defeat inThe Rugby Championship competition since its expansion in 2012. He scored a total of 43 points in the competition, in joint second place withAustralianBernard Foley on the point scoring list and nine points behind tournament top scorer,Argentina'sNicolás Sánchez.[54]
A knee ligament injury in February 2016 caused Pollard to miss most of 2016.[55][56]
Pollard was named in South Africa's squad for the2019 Rugby World Cup.[57] South Africa went on to win the tournament for the third time, and Pollard was the tournament's leading points scorer. After missing a penalty attempt in the second minute of thefinal, Pollard thereafter converted six penalty kicks, missed an eighth attempt, but then converted two tries for a personal haul of 22 points.[58] During the final, Pollard sustained a fractured eye socket, and although he played out the game, his subsequent hospitalization forced him to miss the first four days of the team's trophy tour,[59] but was able to join for the final leg of the tour inCape Town.[60]
At the2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final, on 21 October 2023, Pollard’s 77th-minute game-winning penalty kick saw South Africa squeeze pastEngland 16-15 and through to the final againstNew Zealand.[61] One week later, on 28 October, Pollard scored all of the points for South Africa in theRugby World Cup final against theAll Blacks, as he managed to successfully convert four penalty kicks which secured a 11–12 win for theSpringboks.[62][63]
Pollard is South Africa's 2nd highest all-time points scorer.[64]
South Africa
| Against | P | W | D | L | Tri | Con | Pen | DG | Pts | %Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 22 | 0 | 114 | 72.73 |
 Australia | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 16 | 0 | 68 | 50 |
 British & Irish Lions | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 37 | 66.67 |
 Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
 England | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 22 | 0 | 84 | 62.5 |
 France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 32 | 100 |
 Georgia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 100 |
 Ireland | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 39 | 25 |
 Italy | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 48 | 100 |
 Japan | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 66.67 |
 New Zealand | 18 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 21 | 36 | 3 | 169 | 38.89 |
 Samoa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 100 |
 Scotland | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 68 | 100 |
 Tonga | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 100 |
 United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 100 |
 Wales | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 1 | 91 | 55.56 |
| Total | 85 | 54 | 1 | 30 | 8 | 124 | 174 | 5 | 825 | 63.53 |
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, Tri = Tries Scored, Con = Conversions Scored, Pen = Penalties Scored, DG = Drop Goals Scored, Pts = Points Scored
| Try | Opposing team | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | Johannesburg, South Africa | Ellis Park Stadium | 2014 Rugby Championship | 4 October 2014 | Win | 27–25 |
| 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Wales | Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2017 end-of-year tests | 2 December 2017 | Loss | 24–22 |
| 4 | Scotland | Edinburgh, Scotland | Murrayfield Stadium | 2018 end-of-year tests | 17 November 2018 | Win | 20–26 |
| 5 | Argentina | Salta, Argentina | Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena | 2019 Rugby Championship | 10 August 2019 | Win | 13–46 |
| 6 | |||||||
| 7 | Wales | Cape Town, South Africa | Cape Town Stadium | 2022 Wales tour of South Africa | 16 July 2022 | Win | 30–14 |
| 8 | Georgia | Nelspruit, South Africa | Mbombela Stadium | 2025 mid-year tests | 19 July 2025 | Win | 55–10 |
Handré is married to Marise, with whom he has a son.[65]
