VIDEO: Pollard's parting gift to Bulls
SUPER RUGBY QUARTERFINALS: Montpellier-bound Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard is hoping to give the Bulls’ the perfect parting gift.
The 25-year-old Springbok flyhalf hopes to lead the Bulls to Super Rugby glory via a route that is so tough, it has only been done once before.
It was back in 1999 when the Crusaders came from fourth on the standings to first beat the Reds (28-22) in Brisbane in the semifinals and then knocked over the Highlanders (24-19) in the Final in Dunedin.
In the 22 other finals (the Crusaders have nine titles) the winners all finished either first or second on the standings.
The Bulls, who finished fifth this year, arrived in Welling on Tuesday to take on the Hurricanes (fourth) on Saturday.
For Pollard, there has been a lot of ‘firsts’ this year.
It was the first time he won on a tour of Australasia with the Bulls and it is his first appearance in a Super Rugby play-off.
Now he hopes his last season with the Bulls will have one more magnificent first.
Pollard, speaking ahead of the team’s departure to New Zealand, said the Bulls are finally beginning to reap the rewards of years of hard work.
When the Bulls last featured in the Super Rugby play-offs (they lost 23-16 to the Brumbies in Pretoria) Pollard was just on the cusp of his senior career.
He made his Bulls (Super Rugby) debut in 2014.
* Continue reading below the video …
Pollard expressed his delight about getting a chance to feature in the play-offs before his departure.
“It is going to be exciting this week,” Pollard said.
“There is not a lot of pressure on us,” he said, alluding to his team’s underdog status in Wellington.
He described the Hurricanes as “close to the best side” in the competition, but is confident the Bulls can overcome the odds – including a later departure from South Africa on Monday.
The Bulls and the Hurricanes did not meet in the league phase this year.
Their last meeting was the Round One match in 2018 and on that occasion, the Bulls won 21-19 in Pretoria.
The Bulls were not the most consistent team – with eight wins, two draws (both on tour in New Zealand) and six defeats.
“At times we played some poor rugby,” Pollard said, adding: “However, we learnt from our mistakes.
“We had a great tour [of Australasia – a win and two draws].
“We became a close-knit unit. Those two draws in New Zealand [22-all against the Blues and 24-all against the Highlanders] may not have been victories, but they were massive [results] for us.
“The confidence we got from that came through in the [48-27] win over the Lions [in Pretoria at the weekend].”
The Round 18 fixture against the Trans-Jukskei neighbours, was the last appearance in Bulls colours at Loftus Versfeld for a number of players.
“It is good to go out on a positive note like this and give the fans something good to remember.
“The time we all had here with the Bulls, it was unbelievable to be part of so. We really enjoyed every moment of our journey.”
Speaking about his first appearance in Super Rugby play-offs, Pollard it is going to be an “exciting week, something a lot of us haven’t done.”
“They will be unbelievably hard to beat, but that is what we are ‘going to go over for and that’s our mission.”
@rugby365com
