The real value of Pollard's big move
REACTION: World Cup-winning Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard has turned down bigger offers to join leading English Premiership club Leicester Tigers.
The 27-year-old, who was in the Springbok team that beat England in the 2019 World Cup Final, will join the Tigers from French club Montpellier.
Pollard said he was excited to join a “special club”, who have won all nine of their Premiership games so far this season but have not been crowned English champions since 2013.
“The club is going brilliantly at the moment and I know there is an expectation to continue that, to keep getting better, because getting to the top is hard, but staying there is even harder,” he said.
“There are bigger deals on the table, but I’ve made this decision to work with Steve and to be a part of an unreal, great club at Leicester Tigers which has such a great history.”
His Springbok teammate and soon to be fellow Leicester teammate Marco van Staden believes the move will benefit the seasoned No.10.
Van Staden believes Tigers can make Pollard an ‘even better player’.
“I’m excited,” Van Staden, who joined Leicester from the Bulls earlier this year, told Leicester Live.
“Tigers can only make him an even better player.
“So I think the coaching we have here [in Leicester], the way we train and the way we do things will make him even better.
“I am excited from his point of view as well. I am looking forward to playing with him once again.
“At a young age he had a lot of experience.
“He had a big match temperament at the Bulls, now it’s even more.
“When he gets here, it’s going to be good for him. He’s going to develop that even more.”
Discussing the qualities the Montpellier back will bring to his new club, van Staden said: “He is a good team player, he’s very good for the team.
“He does a lot in terms of getting to know the guys, so the whole team can work together.
“He has a good knowledge of the game, very good knowledge.
“He is quite a physical player as well. A physical number 10. He’s a good organiser. Good and clear on the field so you know exactly what you are doing. Off the field he is a good teammate.”
Sources: AFP & Leicester Live
