Handré Pollard

He came off the bench in the 62nd minute and scored two late conversions in their 40–32 victory.

Handré Pollard (born 11 March 1994) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby.

Pollard earned a provincial call-up as early as primary school level, when he was selected in the squad for the Under-13 Craven Week competition in 2007.

He also represented them at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2010, before playing at the Under-18 Craven Week competitions in 2011 and 2012.

He also captained the SA schools under 18 side both in 2011 and 2012.

In July 2012, it was announced that Pollard would make the move to Gauteng to join Pretoria-based team the at the start of the 2013 season.

He was also a key player in the final of the competition as he kicked five conversions and a penalty to contribute 17 points in UP Tuks' 44–5 victory as they retained the trophy they won in 2012 Varsity Cup.

Pollard was included in a South African Schools side in 2012, where he scored 37 points in three appearances against France, Wales and England.

Pollard earned a call-up to the South African Under-20 team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship on home soil.

Despite not playing in their first match against Ireland, he started their remaining four matches.

He kicked five conversions in their match against Italy and four conversions in their match against England to help secure a semi-final berth for South Africa.

Three conversions and two penalties followed in their 35–3 semi-final victory over Argentina to see the Baby Boks through to their first ever final against four-time champions New Zealand.

Once again, the boot of Pollard was largely responsible for their 22–16 victory in the final as he kicked four penalties and a drop-goal to lift the trophy for South Africa for the first time.

Pollard finished as fourth top scorer overall in the competition with 42 points.

His first involvement in rugby in Pretoria came for university side during the 2013 Varsity Cup competition.

He did not play in the first match of the season, but then made three substitute appearances in their next three matches before being selected in the run-on side for their last three matches in the round-robin stage, the semi-final and the final, starting all those matches as inside centre.

He was the main kicker for the UP Tuks team and scored 68 points in his side's run to the final, making him the tournament's second-highest points scorer behind 's Kobus de Kock.

During the 2013 Varsity Cup season, Pollard was also included in the side that participated in the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition.

He made his provincial debut for the on 9 March 2013 against in Kimberley.

His first start for the Blue Bulls came after the 2013 Varsity Cup, when he was named in the run-on side for their match against the in the quarter final of the competition.

He scored eleven points, but could not prevent his side slipping to a 31–34 defeat.

In June 2013, after signing a contract extension to keep him at the until 2017, Pollard was also named in their Currie Cup side for the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division season.

He made his Currie Cup debut on 31 August 2013, starting for the Blue Bulls in their match against the in Durban.

Despite getting his first Currie Cup points after just six minutes – converting an Akona Ndungane try – the Blue Bulls suffered a 34–18 defeat in that match.

Pollard started a total of six matches in this competition, scoring 62 points to finish as the Blue Bulls' top points scorer in the competition and eighth overall and also made four appearances for the side in the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring 52 points.

Pollard was included in a training group that toured Argentina in preparation for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship before being included in the final squad for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship in France.

Pollard was included in the squad for the 2014 Super Rugby season and made his debut in the first round of the competition in a 31–16 defeat to the in Durban, also scoring his first Super Rugby points by kicking a late conversion.

Initially used mainly as a substitute, he made his first Super Rugby start during their Round 12 match against South African rivals the.

Pollard had an eventful match, being sent to the sin-bin in the first half and contributing ten points with the boot as the Bulls ran out 26–21 winners.

In 2015, Pollard extended his contract with the Blue Bulls until the end of the 2019 season.

In June 2015, the Blue Bulls announced that Pollard would join Japanese Top League side NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka on a three-month deal between November 2015 and January 2016 for the 2015–16 Top League season, but would return to the Bulls prior to the 2016 Super Rugby season.

This was later confirmed by the Japanese side.

His regular playing positions are fly-half, where he started for South Africa in their 2019 Rugby World Cup Final win, and inside-centre.

He has previously played for the and in his native South Africa, Osaka Red Hurricanes in Japan and Montpellier in France.

He is one of 43 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions, 24 of whom are South Africans.

In May 2019, the Blue Bulls confirmed that Pollard would join Top 14 side after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, having expressed his desire to continue his playing career in France during discussions about the renewal of his contract.

After announcing his departure Pollard continued to feature for Montpellier, eventually featuring from the bench as they won their first ever French championship in a 29–10 win over Castres in the final.

In December 2021, Leicester Tigers confirmed they had signed Pollard from Top 14 side at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Pollard joined Tigers following the departure of George Ford to Sale Sharks.

Pollard made his Leicester debut as a replacement on 1 October 2022 in a 51–18 defeat to Saracens.