VIDEO: Tony Brown provides an explanation for Pollard's wayward goal-kicking
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok attack coach Tony Brown believes Handre Pollard’s wayward goal-kicking in the first Test against Ireland in Pretoria was down to fatigue.
The home side edged the encounter 27-20 at Loftus Versfeld, but it could have been a bit more comfortable had Pollard landed the three penalties he missed during the 80 minutes.
The first one he missed was a long-range effort just before the break.
He sent another two penalty kicks wide in the second half.
However, after that, he showed his class by nailing a difficult conversion after Cheslin Kolbe’s opportunistic try in the 65th minute.
“I think Handre played his last game two months ago [for Leicester Tigers in the Premiership], so I know in a game of rugby when you are tired and a little bit of fatigue sets in then the quality of your goal-kicking definitely goes down,” Brown told reporters in Durban on Monday ahead of the second Test at Kings Park.
“I am not concerned about Handre’s goal-kicking.
“With another game under his belt and with his ability to sort of be conditioned to go again, he’ll be fine kicking goals.
“He’s kicked well all week but that is when you are fresh.
“When you are tired and it’s at Loftus, you get into that second half and I just think it was fatigue.
“It had nothing to do with his goal-kicking.”
‘Messy rugby’
Meanwhile, Brown was pleased with some aspects of his team’s attacking game, but he knows they can be more clinical in that area.
“There was a lot of messy rugby but the things that we are trying to do on attack had some really good signs.
“In the first half, we created a lot of momentum and the boys were able to apply a lot of pressure and score a pretty nice try early on.”
Photo credit: Suresh Rajcoomar
