Generations come and go, and "s*** happens" — a reality Handré Pollard knows all too well. Stepping into a new phase of his rugby career as an elder statesman, he has watched multiple eras of flyhalves pass through the national setup.
The Springbok pivot has, after all, been in the Springbok setup since 2014. When he made his Test debut against Scotland that year, the flyhalf contingent around him included Pat Lambie, Morné Steyn, Johan Goosen, and Marnitz Boshoff. At the 2019 Rugby World Cup, he jostled with Elton Jantjies and Damian Willemse for the No 10 jumper.
Add Manie Libbok four years later, alongside Robert du Preez and a new generation featuring Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Jordan Hendrikse, and Vusi Moyo, and Pollard has witnessed elite talents hang up their boots while a fresh wave of playmakers evolve the game.
Indeed, of the current players within the Bok setup, only Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, and Pieter-Steph du Toit have served longer, while Lood de Jager debuted alongside him in 2014.
As he watches the next generation step into the spotlight, Pollard acknowledges how much his own perspective has matured since his debut a decade ago.
“I think when you're young, you're very free and sort of careless, and you don't really understand the consequences of certain decisions you make on the field,” Pollard said, last week. “And as you get older, you realise those things.
“You sort of adapt over the years as well as you can towards where the game is going. Test match rugby is always going to be built on set-piece, the kicking game, and defense, so I don't think Test rugby really changes that much over the years.
"My approach and my mindset haven't changed at all. Of course, guys have come and gone, and now we've got some great young guys in the system, which makes it very competitive at the moment.
“That's a very good thing, especially when you're a bit older, to have that fresh pressure from those guys trying to take your spot and vice versa. It motivates everybody to be better.
"So, in terms of my mindset playing Test match rugby for your country, you want to win every game. I don't think too much has changed, to be honest.”
Among the Young Turks challenging the old master is Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The 24-year old has been at the forefront this past month in the No 10 jumper during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR). Facing intense scrutiny, Feinberg-Mngomezulu battled through fluctuating form in Tests against Argentina and the All Blacks, but steadily improved as the campaign progressed.
Pollard can certainly see the parallels: in seasons past, he too faced tough questions regarding his form and future following challenging domestic spells, especially for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship in the last season. Nonetheless, Pollard believes Feinberg-Mngomezulu will only become a better player for the Boks through these intense experiences, just as Pollard continues to learn and evolve.
“With the coaches we have here in the setup, all the answers are there for us,” Pollard noted.
“(Sacha) is still learning, and he is an incredibly talented rugby player. But learning about different styles, conditions, and teams just takes time and playing a lot of Test matches. We all try and help each other where we can and give advice if he asks for it.
“I think we're in a really good place. Even after all these years, we're all still learning.
"Luckily for us, we're mostly learning while we're winning, and I think that's a very fortunate position to be in. There's still a lot to learn for everyone — not just Sacha, but myself as well. We're all trying to get better.”
Pollard, meanwhile, missed the height of the RGR due to injury. He was selected to play in the second Test in Cape Town but was left devastated after injuring his calf during prep. Having missed out on the action, he was forced to watch the remainder of the series from the sidelines.
Earlier, he had played against Scotland, but that has represented his primary international outing of the year. He is set to don the No 10 jumper on Sunday, however, when the Boks face the Wallabies in Perth (kick-off 11:45am).
“It was unfortunate,” Pollard said of the injury setback. “It was sort of an accident. I stepped away to accelerate, the pitch slipped beneath me, and I put too much strain on my calf.
“I had a small calf tear. I knew it wasn't too serious, but I knew it was probably going to keep me out for the rest of the series, and that was a massive disappointment. It was such a great series to be a part of even though I couldn't contribute on the field, so I think that's where the emotion came from.
"We work all the time with all that excitement, but hey — that's life, that's rugby, and like they say, s*** happens.”
Now heading into the twilight of his career, the two-time Rugby World Cup winner, multi-time Rugby Championship champion, and British & Irish Lions series victor still has one major milestone driving him: reaching the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
“I wouldn't be standing here today if that wasn't the case,” said Pollard. “That is the ultimate goal, and something we all value greatly: the World Cup.
“All the guys in this group are working towards it every day. We've been there a few times and have been privileged to win it, but as you get older and gain perspective, you know it can end at any time.
"We all want to play, even though we don't know how many more opportunities we'll get. It's at the top of the list, and that's the dream. But to get there, we first have to play very good rugby and give ourselves a chance to make the squad.
“The competition is strong, but the dream is to be there for the group and help wherever I can,” Pollard concluded.
South Africa matchday 23 v Australia
Springboks starting XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 André Esterhuizen (c), 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels; Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ox Nché, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Morné van den Berg, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Quan Horn