Handre Pollard admits that he doesn’t fit the modern template of a fly-half but the Springboks star is happy to focus on other areas of the game.
Pollard has impressed during his time at Leicester Tigers, playing a brand of rugby akin to that of the Springboks and Bulls.
The fly-half believes that the style of rugby has changed in recent seasons with the game being less defence-driven as the attack starts to dictate matters.
Change in mindset
This adds extra responsibilities on the number 10s to be more creative in the way they get behind the opposition.
When asked by BBC Radio Leicester if he has been asked to play a different kind of ten role over the past few seasons, Pollard replied: “Yes.
“Your creativity has got to go up quite a bit, where the mindset previously was field position mostly with getting yourself down there with contestable kicks and focusing on your set-piece.
“But the change is good, it’s exciting and it gets us more creative and thinking about the game differently which is great at any stage in your career.”
That is certainly true with the Springboks too with the world champions making notable improvements and changes to the way they attack under new attack coach Tony Brown last year.
“I won’t put myself in that category”
Pollard admits that there are perhaps fly-halves that better suit that style of play but adds that there has always been a place for different approaches to the way players play at number ten.
He feels his game is moulded to that of older tactics but he is enjoying the challenge of developing his style and approach even at the age of 31.
“Everyone is different, you look at a Marcus [Smith] with his speed and footwork and you look at Finn [Russell] with his silky hands, there are different types of fly-halves – there always have been,” he said.
“I won’t put myself in that category of being that sort of out there fly-half, I have never been and from a young age. I’ve really enjoyed the other parts of the game a bit more and put more time into that to get to where I am now.
“But I do always enjoy that attacking part of the game. It’s probably something that I’ve had to focus more on, because naturally, growing up playing for the Bulls in South Africa, it’s pretty similar [to Leicester], pretty structured, a very good kicking game, set-piece and massive forwards everywhere.
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“I’d say I’m probably built in the older way of rugby but thoroughly enjoying the new challenges that have come now with a bit more of an expansive game.”
After falling to a narrow defeat to Saracens in the Premiership, Leicester’s focus now turns to the Investec Champions Cup, tackling the Franco Smith-led Glasgow Warriors in the round of 16.
Smith’s charges are renowned for their attacking brilliance, and Pollard is wary of the threat they pose.
“They have evolved quite a lot, Franco Smith has done a great job there you can see they are very aligned and have a clear way they play the game,” he added.
“They play a bit more rugby than we do [Leicester], but that’s what they believe in and it’s working for them, they just won the URC. It’s a tough challenge, there are some real quality players, especially in the backs.
“It’s a team that has always got you on the edge because they can just explode from anywhere on the pitch.”
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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/handre-pollard-im-built-in-the-older-way-of-rugby-but-thoroughly-enjoying-new-challenges
