LEICESTER TIGERS 2021/22 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACTS: Lord of the Mauls

[Noggs]

If it happens I believe it will be for next season. The wording '....will become a Tigers player by the end of this week....' is unfortunate wording and I think refers to him signing for Tigers this week rather than an immediate transfer. His current contract extends to the end of the 20/21 season and with Ford having said he will complete his contractual requirements there is no requirement for him to join the squad early.

If he does sign he is a great replacement for GF.

[RichieB]

Quote from Beeb - BBC Radio Leicester sport understands that South African fly-half Handre Pollard will join Leicester Tigers next summer.

Pollard, capped 60 times by the Springboks, will join from French side Montpellier.

[kpj tiger]

Quote from Beeb - BBC Radio Leicester sport understands that South African fly-half Handre Pollard will join Leicester Tigers next summer.

Pollard, capped 60 times by the Springboks, will join from French side Montpellier.

Wouldn't be surprised if we get an announcement tomorrow then, normally when the local BBC report something it means the official announcement is imminent

[OakhamTiger32]

Handre Pollard: Leicester Tigers set to sign South African fly-half to replace George Ford
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59492849

Surely must be confirmed soon

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/spor ... by-6287956

[Pellsey]

If he does play for us, let's hope that he fits in as well. There have been a few excellent players over the years, who have not been at their best for us. Matera springs to mind. But maybe that was because of his age at the time.

Although I had doubts regarding cost, the reports seem to be roughly the same as GF, so no problem.

I'm looking forward to it :)

[RichieB]

I think the sooner we get over the fact that Ford is leaving, the sooner we can embrace the Pollard era. It may be a bit different from Ford, but I don’t think significantly different. Let us give Ford a great send off for the rest of the season, then it is a case of ‘the King is dead. Long live the King’!

[Tigersunited]

George who

[TigerCam]

Pollard on his way apparently?

[MCC1964]

Pollard on his way apparently?

What makes you think that? Not a single word about it on this thread from what I can see……

[Tigers86asw]

To replace Ford with the best available replacement is great coup for Tigers. Cant remember the last time we signed a played of Pollard’s stature.

[Nofrontteeth]

Confident statement by BBC East Mids sports news. "Expect Pollard in summer".

[KiwiTig]

Pollard ..wow ! That’s a signing plus one

[OakhamTiger32]

Interesting article about Pollard and his time at Montpellier:

https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/montpellie ... per-match/

Hope he gets on better with us injury wise than he has done for them!

“Since making his senior debut for the Vodacom Bulls in the 2013 Currie Cup, Pollard has played just 94 first-class club matches, owing to a number of long-term injuries during his time at the Bulls and then Montpellier, including knee-ligament tears in 2016 and 2020.

As a result, Pollard has played an average of 10.5 club matches per year since his professional debut. At Montpellier, where he was widely acknowledged to be one of the game’s highest-paid players, earning £1m per year, Pollard played only 16 matches.

The French giants effectively paid the 27-year-old around £62,500 per game (R1.3m).

England’s Owen Farrell, who made his club debut in 2010, has played a total of 203 club matches, at an average of 17 per year for his club. Another world-class flyhalf who made his debut in 2010, Beauden Barrett has played 170 club matches, averaging 14 per year. And this is despite both these players exceeding Pollard’s annual average of 7.5 Test matches, with Barrett averaging 10 and Farrell 9.4 Tests per year.

Ford made his first-class debut for Leicester in 2009 and has since played a total of 205 club matches at an annual average of almost 18.”

Personally I think the Tigers coaches and Aled Walters will get the best out of him and he will rediscover his best form after a tough season at Montpellier.

[westwinds31]

The Aled bit is key to this. He knows Pollard from his time with the Boks, will know what makes him tick etc

[Jacko27]

Should we be worried about his knee? Genuine question, really don't know the answer.