'Best strike of my life' - Pollard on that famous #RWC semifinal kick
WATCH as Jim Hamiton chats to Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard during a small snippet of his Big Jim Show on RugbyPass TV.
In the interview, the double World Cup winner Pollard takes the Scotland international Hamilton through the moment when he kicked the winning penalty for the Springboks in the World Cup 2023 semifinal against England.
Having trailed for most of the match, it took a 77th-minute long-range penalty from Pollard to steer the Boks to the famous 16-15 victory.
England enjoyed a 15-6 lead until the 70th minute. However, a try by RG Snyman instigated one of the greatest comebacks.
The Boks were awarded a late penalty, and without hesitation, Pollard stepped up to slot the kick from more than 50 metres out – kicking his team to a one-point win.
“In that moment of putting the ball down, for me it’s excitement, I love it,” Pollard told Hamilton during the Big Jim Show.
“I love those moments. It gets me really excited. It’s the most alive you will feel on a rugby field, at least that’s how I feel as a flyhalf and kicker. There’s all that pressure on you to kick that kind of kick.
“I just enjoy it. It’s really fun. For the first time ever in my career, when I got to my mark, as I got back there, I looked up and for a split second in my mind I was thinking, ‘Geez, this is going to be pretty cool if it goes over’.
“I have never had that thought. It was just the mind space that I was in at that moment.
“It was the best strike of my life. It was unreal. I will probably kick another 1000 kicks and I won’t kick anything like that.”
*Please don’t forget to catch Jim Hamilton on the Big Jim Show this weekend on RugbyPass TV
The Scotland star will be live pitch-side at the Champions Cup game between Leicester Tigers and Leinster.
Handre Pollard talks me through the moment he stepped up for that kick in the World Cup semi Final. The greatest players in sport step up in the biggest moment.
I’ll be pitch side for Leicester vs Leinster on Saturday on RugbyPassTv. pic.twitter.com/4cYB7kIHgJ— Jim Hamilton (@jimhamilton4) January 18, 2024
