Readers had their say and Handre Pollard emerged as the overwhelming choice for the greatest Springbok flyhalf of all time.
Pollard made a timely recovery from injury to cap a sensational 2023 by kicking the Boks to a World Cup title defence in France. The 69-Test pivot again proved to be the man for the big stage, replicating his 2019 heroics despite a delayed call into South Africa’s squad.
In a poll run by SARugbymag.co.za, a resounding 66% decided that Pollard is the standout No 10 for the men in green and gold, ahead of the legendary Naas Botha (15%) and clutch-kicker supreme Morne Steyn (8%).
KEO: Pollard ‘owns the Bok 10 crown’
Crucial to SA’s first Tri-Nations win in 1998 and a key member in the Bok squad that achieved 17 consecutive Test wins, Henry Honiball earned 7% of the votes while World Cup winners Butch James, Joel Stransky and Manie Libbok shared a combined 4%.
Leicester-based Pollard, though, is set to be among a mass of players unavailable to Rassie Erasmus for the Boks’ season-opener against Wales at Twickenham on 22 June.
Photo: Christophe Simon/AFP