Handre Pollard’s return to the Bulls has been confirmed, a move that is hugely beneficial for the Springboks and the Pretoria-based franchise.

Jake White has built some serious depth in multiple positions in recent seasons, realising the demands of playing in both the United Rugby Championship and the EPCR tournament.

However, one position where the side is sorely lacking is at ten and the Bulls have loosened the purse strings and recruited the best possible options, a dream signing, with Springboks hero Pollard returning.

Pollard’s return to Pretoria does raise some questions and in the case of Leicester Tigers, some concerns. For one, why has the double World Cup winner returned to South Africa? Especially considering the money on offer abroad as it is understood that Leicester were eager for him to remain and Japanese clubs were keen on his services.

Let’s unpack the biggest Springboks returns since Siya Kolisi rejoined the Sharks from Racing 92.

Lose, lose for Leicester Tigers

Pollard has been a solid performer for Leicester Tigers since his arrival from Montpellier but the fly-half has left fans wanting more. He is a popular figure amongst fans but there is still a feeling that he hasn’t quite hit the highs that he produces in Bok Green and Gold in Leicester Green.

This is a common feeling for several clubs that have signed top Springboks in the past but Pollard has still been deadly accurate off the tee and leaves an enormous void in the Tigers’ backline that will be difficult to fill.

A number 10 of Pollard’s calibre is hard to come by even if the funds are available and now Leicester are not only left with a massive role to fill in the backline but one in the coaches’ box. Michael Cheika is set to depart his role as head coach at the end of the season and the Tigers are searching for his replacement. Pollard’s departure will not aid their attempts to get a big-name coach to take over.

Leicester reportedly attempted to lure Owen Farrell back to the Premiership to take the fly-half reins but were rebuffed by the Racing 92 star. Frankly put, players of Pollard’s calibre do not go on the market often and when they do, they are snapped up very quickly.

Whoever the Tigers do tempt to the East Midlands is unlikely to be as experienced and of the same pedigree. It’s an unfortunate fact but does provide them with the opportunity to perhaps chase a long-term option in the position much like Saracens did with Fergus Burke. Only time will tell how Leicester deal with Pollard’s departure but it is undoubtedly a hammer blow.

Springboks star Handre Pollard’s shock United Rugby Championship move confirmed

Bulls boost

One of the main questions that has arisen from the Bulls signing Pollard is how the franchise is able to afford him considering the lucrative offers that would have been on the table from Japan as Suntory Sungoliath were understood to be leading the race for his signature.

It is likely that the Bok pivot will have taken a pay cut from the reported £650,000 a season deal that he was earning at Leicester Tigers. However, he won’t be under-compensated as the South African franchises will have more funds available to them than in recent seasons.

This is due to the fact that SA Rugby no longer has to pay fees to participate in the URC or the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup. Eventually, these funds will trickle down to the franchises.

White’s war chest was further boosted following the decision of Carlu Sadie to remain at French club Bordeaux. The former Sharks and Lions tighthead prop had signed a deal to join the Bulls but his contract was cancelled when Bordeaux opted to retain his services and duly compensated the Pretoria outfit.

Additionally, Players of National Interest (PONI) benefit from a top-up on their contracts which SA Rugby pays for. @CashNSport revealed early this week that the minimum a player will receive from the PONI contract is just shy of R12 000 a month. The Bulls also have wealthy backers in Johann Rupert and Patrice Motsepe who could well have helped fund Pollard’s return. Steven Kitshoff’s retirement has also freed up some of the budget in this regard.

Onto the on-field matters, and Pollard is precisely the player that the Bulls needed to take their game up another level. White’s squad has lacked that killer edge in the number ten jersey since the retirement of Morne Steyn.

Chris Smith did a fine job at times before his departure to France and while Johan Goosen is still a fantastic playmaker, his placekicking has left the team wanting at times. He has also suffered from several injuries leaving the side short-handed, which led to the signing of Boeta Chamberlain from the Sharks.

While Pollard will miss a host of Bulls games due to his Springbok commitments and mandatory rest periods, he is bound to be in the mix when it matters most for the men in blue and as South African fans know all too well, that’s when he produces his best.

Springboks home fixtures confirmed as Rassie Erasmus’ men return to Gqeberha

Pollard’s Springboks future

Pollard remains a regular figure in Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks squad, highlighted by the fact that he missed just two Tests in 2024. This despite the suggestions that he doesn’t quite fit the bill of a fly-half in Tony Brown’s new attacking system.

This was reflected in the selections in 2024 with Pollard featuring six times off the bench as Erasmus tested the depth of the number ten jersey handing debuts to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Jordan Hendrikse with Manie Libbok also getting starts last year.

With the double World Cup winner returning to the Bulls, he will benefit from all the alignment camps and will be more in the coaching staff’s view than he was at Leicester. The 30-year-old still has plenty of Test rugby left in him but he now has more competition for his jersey than ever before.

When it became clear that he would not be staying in the Premiership, there was only two options for the fly-half to extend his career well into his 30s: A return to South Africa or Japan. As mentioned above, Boks based at South African URC franchises benefit from mandatory rest periods which Premiership or Top 14 clubs don’t have to deal with.

This means that players can quickly rack up well over 30 matches in a year for their club which is a real slog when Test rugby is thrown on top of that. Alternatively, the Japanese Rugby League One offers a less gruelling season with stars racking up around 15 appearances for their club in a far less physically demanding competition but one that is played at a rapid pace.

Ultimately, Pollard picked Pretoria and as a rugby romantic, there was no better outcome. He returns to a union where he will feel that there is some unfinished business and to the team that gave him his first taste of professional rugby.

It’s a move that will help his international ambitions as Erasmus and his coaching team will have far better access to one of their greatest assets over the past seven years. In the week of Kitshoff’s retirement, Pollard’s return home is a massive boost.

For the Bulls, Boks and Pollard there was no better outcome but Leicester, will rue letting their grip on the 80 Test cap pivot slip, as the Springboks hero returns to one of the country’s greatest rugby cathedrals.

READ MORE: Nick Mallett: France ‘copying’ Rassie Erasmus as Springboks greats analyse Six Nations tactics

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/opinion-rassie-erasmus-will-celebrate-handre-pollards-loftus-return-as-the-springboks-hero-looks-to-extend-his-career