Pollard Returns as Springboks Coach Makes Lineup Shift for New Zealand Rematch

Handre Pollard is back at fly-half for the Springboks. South Africa’s coaching staff confirmed the change ahead of Saturday’s second Test against New Zealand in Cape Town, dropping Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu from the starting lineup after head coach Rassie Erasmus judged his performance in the series opener insufficient.

The first Test, played in Johannesburg under newly appointed All Blacks coach Dave Rennie, ended 33-16 to New Zealand. Feinberg-Mngomezulu was turned over five times in possession and exposed defensively before being shifted to full-back in the second half. He now moves to the bench as the Springboks look to level the four-match series.

Pollard, 32 and a two-time Rugby World Cup winner, steps into the number 10 jersey. The recall is a clear tactical signal from Erasmus, who has also reshaped the backline around injuries. Ethan Hooker comes in on the wing to cover for Cheslin Kolbe, while Cobus Reinach takes the scrum-half role following Grant Williams’s injury.

The back row carries its own uncertainty. Siya Kolisi is in contention after recovering from a hamstring injury, but Erasmus has named Paul de Villiers as a contingency at blindside flanker should Kolisi remain unavailable on match day. Among the replacements, 39-year-old Deon Fourie, who featured in South Africa’s 2023 Rugby World Cup final victory over New Zealand, could earn his first cap since that tournament.

Erasmus was candid about what went wrong in Johannesburg. “There were a handful of positives and negatives last week, but the main thing that let us down was that we created so many chances, but mistakes at crucial times cost us,” he said. “We’ll put in a lot of work this week to ensure that we are sharp in that regard this weekend because if we had used even some of those chances, the result could have been completely different.”

The confirmed starting lineup reads: Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Hooker; Pollard, Reinach; Nche, Marx, Louw, Etzebeth, Nortje, Kolisi/De Villiers, PS du Toit, Wiese. The bench includes Fourie, Steenekamp, T du Toit, De Jager, Esterhuizen, Hanekom, Van den Berg, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Meanwhile, New Zealand is weighing a significant selection decision of its own. Richie Mo’unga, the 32-year-old stand-off who was first choice during the 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, is in line for an immediate Test return as the All Blacks chase a 2-0 series lead. Mo’unga had been unavailable while playing club rugby in Japan, but his recent signing with Canterbury and the Crusaders, combined with an injury to Billy Proctor, has reopened the door.

He will start at 10 in Tuesday’s match against the Lions, the Johannesburg-based provincial side, as part of his preparation for potential Test selection. Mo’unga traced his decision to return to an unlikely moment: watching a Six Nations match in a Japanese karaoke bar last year, an experience he said crystallised his determination to play for the All Blacks again.

“I’m competitive; I want to be the best,” Mo’unga said. “I know that there’s a process to that, and at this point in time, the process looks a bit different around preparing someone else (All Blacks’ current first-choice fly-half Ruben Love) to be the best. I’m really competitive, but I’m also a team man. Whoever gets the role, gets the role, and if it’s not me, I’ll do anything I can to help them succeed. This game was always coming for me. There was always going to be a return. I wasn’t sure when it was, but mentally I’ve prepared for my return in the black jersey, and I’m ready.”

Mo’unga’s form during the 2023 World Cup earned him a place in World Rugby’s team of that year. Whether he forces his way back into the Test side remains the question both camps are watching closely. Full series coverage is available at https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/cg7k90y8j9no.