Pollard: Boks’ game plan is the most beautiful thing in the world

Springboks flyhalf Handre Pollard has described the Springbok game plan as 'the most beautiful thing in the world'. 

Speaking to the media on Monday, Pollard came out to bat for the Springboks' tactics after criticism from the likes of Jeremey Guscott and former Springbok coach Pieter de Villiers. 

Former England and Lions centre Jeremy Guscott labelled South Africa as “one-trick ponies”, citing their emphasis on physically dominating their opponents.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcas, he argued that if the tourists can match South Africa’s physicality they will win the series.

“They are one trick … it’s a good trick, but it’s fallible. Once you meet it, they’ve got nowhere to go – absolutely nowhere to go. So, we did it in ’97, and where did they go?” Guscott said.

“OK, they scored some tries in the second test, but they had nowhere to go. Today they’ll have nowhere to go because they’re not the greatest passers in midfield.

“They’ve got some excellent [outside backs]. Cheslin Kolbe is awesome [but] Willie le Roux is getting a bit old. He’s vulnerable mentally, and if he drops a couple of high balls, he’ll go missing for the rest of the game.

“You meet fire with fire… If you win the collisions against South Africa, I’d pretty much guarantee that you’ll win. If they don’t win the collisions, they won’t win the test series. It is a very good one-trick pony.”

Meanwhile, former Springbok coach Pieter de Villiers criticised the Springboks’ approach to games under Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus in an interview with Daily Mail.

“The Springboks are the world champions and we all are grateful for that. But I don’t think people will copy that style of play,” said De Villiers.

“Firstly, it’s very boring. Does it give you results? Definitely, but it’s very, very boring.

“We suffocate people with our bulk and then we base our whole game plan around defending, defending, defending. Instead of creating, creating, creating.

“We normally say that honesty comes from children, and if you’re going to play that kind of rugby at schoolboy level I don’t think a lot of schoolboys will want to play the game.”

Pollard, who is in line for his 50th test cap on Saturday, defended the Springboks game plan.

“For me, that [Boks’ game plan] is the most beautiful thing in the world,” said Pollard. 

“It’s the way we are brought up and it is the way we play and for me personally that is a thing of beauty.

“Throwing the ball around is nice for the people watching on tv, but for me that [Bok style] is beautiful.