‘Best strike of my life’ – Springboks fly-half Handre Pollard on his clutch kick

Jared Wright
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Springboks Handre Pollard takes a penalty goal during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Semi-finals match between England and South Africa at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

Springboks Handre Pollard takes a penalty goal during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Semi-finals match between England and South Africa at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

Double Rugby World Cup-winning fly-half Handre Pollard has ranked his clutch kick against England as the best of his career.

The South African pivot has had his fair share of difficult kicks throughout his career, but he believes that he will never hit another like the one that sent his country through to the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.

After Pollard converted RG Snyman’s try in the 69th minute of the semi-final against England, he had the opportunity to put his side ahead after his pack won a scrum penalty near the halfway line. Once again, he rose to the occasion to slot the match-winner.

Clutch kick

Pollard was initially omitted from South Africa’s Rugby World Cup squad through injury but was called up following an injury to hooker Malcolm Marx.

The 29-year-old featured in the Boks’ final pool stage match against Tonga before coming off the bench against France and England in the quarter and semi-final.

He is renowned for his big-match temperament and proved this during the tournament by converting all 13 of his shots at goal, including the one that sealed South Africa’s place in the final.

“That moment of putting the ball down for me, it’s exciting. I love it. I love those moments. It just gets me really excited,” Pollard told Jim Hamilton on the Big Jim Show.

“It’s the most alive I feel ever as a fly-half or as a kicker on the rugby field, it’s with 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 back to my mark, I looked up and for a split second in my mind, I was thinking, ‘Geez, this is going to be pretty cool if this goes over’.

“I’ve never thought of something that, I’ve never had that thought. Sort of the mind space I was in at that moment. I kicked it, and it was the best strike in my life; it was unreal.

“Definitely, the best strike of my life. I’ll probably kick another thousand kicks, and I’ll never kick it like that.”

Pollard rose to the occasion yet again the week after knocking England out of the tournament as he converted four penalties in South Africa’s 12-11 victory over New Zealand in the final, claiming their fourth title.

He earned his 69th Test cap in the final and took his points tally to 698, which ranks him third overall as South Africa’s top points scorer behind Morne Steyn (742) and Percy Montgomery (893).

READ MORE: Springboks Rugby World Cup winner’s career in tatters after four-year doping ban

England Handre Pollard

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