Springboks Receive Major Boost Ahead of Final All Blacks Test in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry
- Springboks flyhalf Handré Pollard is recovering from a calf injury that will keep him out of Saturday's Test in Soweto
- Rassie Erasmus confirmed Pollard, Grant Williams and Canan Moodie will travel to Baltimore for the 12 September tie
- Both the Springboks and All Blacks will board the same charter flight to the United States the day after Saturday's Test
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
South Africa have received a major boost ahead of the fourth and final Test in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, with Handré Pollard expected to return to contention when the Springboks face New Zealand at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday, 12 September.
The experienced flyhalf has been recovering from a calf injury and will miss Saturday’s third Test against the All Blacks at FNB Stadium in Soweto. However, Rassie Erasmus confirmed that Pollard will travel to the United States with Grant Williams and Canan Moodie, with the trio expected to be fit and available for selection for the Baltimore clash.
Erasmus said Pollard, Williams and Moodie would all board the flight to Baltimore and should be ready to be considered for the final Test.
Pollard's return a major boost
With 87 Tests to his name and 837 points scored for the Springboks, Pollard is the second-highest points scorer in South African Test history, sitting 56 points behind record holder Percy Montgomery. His experience, tactical awareness and goal-kicking reliability make him one of Erasmus's most dependable options for high-pressure encounters.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Regaining a player of his calibre for the historic Baltimore Test, the first Springboks versus All Blacks match to be played on United States soil, gives the coaching staff considerable flexibility heading into the series decider.
One of the more unusual aspects of this series is the travel arrangement that follows Saturday's match. Both squads will board the same charter flight to Baltimore on Sunday, just hours after competing against each other at FNB Stadium.
Erasmus acknowledged the oddity of the situation
Erasmus described it as unusual, with South Africa and New Zealand travelling together on the same charter flight on Sunday after competing fiercely against each other in the Soweto Test the previous day.
The two teams will spend roughly 12 to 15 hours on the same flight. He added that recovery would be a major priority for both sides given the long journey and the short turnaround before their next Test, with both teams facing the same challenge.
The Baltimore Test is set to begin at 23:00 South African time on 12 September.
Erasmus' warning adds context to ranking shock
Briefly News also reported that Rassie Erasmus had admitted the Springboks were feeling the pressure before the Ellis Park showdown with the All Blacks.
Erasmus said ahead of the Test that he was nervous, while describing New Zealand's approach as fast and intense. He also warned that the All Blacks wanted to move the ball quickly and challenge South Africa around the breakdown.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
