We need to talk about Handré

[CrumblingTerrace]

Handre Pollard has played at the top of the sport for a long time. He's won the World Cup twice. His kicking from the tee is exemplary. He's one of the best tackling fly halves. He's a class act.

He's also had a very mixed season. I don't want to labour that point - you've seen what I've seen. I think we're seeing how he ended up getting displaced from the Montpellier team. And as a financially strapped club, we're reportedly paying him £600k.

What's your assessment of his season?

Is he still a nailed on pick at fly-half?

Should we offer him another contract?

[Terracetiger4]

I think the saying form is temporary and class is permanent comes to mind…. Hes certainly been very off the last few weeks. But I think our poor attacking structure isn’t helping. He’s having to take extra risk with his kicks to the corners for example because the maul is our best chance of scoring.

[sam16111986]

Hopefully some time off during the 6N period revitalises him.

[Darc Tiger]

The missed kicks to touch have really killed us twice in two weeks. Not the first he's missed this season either. Risk/reward, but maybe it would be worth a few metres to cut the errors.

[Ian Cant]

Trouble is we need to beat Quins and Ealing.
Think back to the season we nearly got relegated: Ford was a “class act.”
I also think we aren’t playing to our strengths with Pollard. Take the 3s when games are close or there is time to build a score.

Maybe it’s time for McKellar to tell his best players to go out and play with a freedom to express themselves. Our last 3 away games, although against very good sides, have been poor. Even with 6 players missing Quins are hot favourites to win on Friday. I’d tell Pollard he can run the show with the backs starting in training! Problem is who will be fit and with Chessum, Martin, Cole, Heyes, Henderson, Reffel will Tigers get any decent ball?

[TigerFeetSteve]

The missed kicks to touch have really killed us twice in two weeks. Not the first he's missed this season either. Risk/reward, but maybe it would be worth a few metres to cut the errors.

IMO he only missed one of those kicks...

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

He fronted up in defence today, his line kicking just looks a little off, equivalent of the hookers "yips" maybe.

[voice of the crumbie]

Even the best have their off days. It wasn't just Handre. Another world class player was inconsistent in one of his main jobs yesterday but there is no thread criticising him. Namely our captain Julian Montoya. His throwing in was wayward. I say this not to criticise him but to point out that, as I said at the beginning of this post, even the best have their off days. Another example of recent times is the normal reliability of Freddie Steward under the high ball. In recent games he has dropped, failed to catch or knocked on kicks that we have been used to seeing him nail every time. As has been said form is temporary but class is permanent.

When three players of this calibre perform below their normally stellar standards is this unlucky coincidence or should I look elsewhere for the root cause? I have to question the game plan the team is being coached to deploy. When three of our stars go missing in action I ask myself is it because they are uncomfortable with the game plan but feel under pressure to follow it because the coaching team hasn't come up with an alternative? Their play is characterised with a degree of uncertainty which I believe is being to infect the whole team. Hence the lack of a cutting edge in attack or a falling away in defensive performance after 20 minutes.

For my money it's time for Mc Kellar to step up and earn his corn.

[Wellscity]

Ford gave Tigers field position and and go forwards play. Something i've not seen in Andre.
Is he working under orders?
If we know we are missing the extra 2-3% then against tough opposition why not kick the points when on offer.
I know its ifs and buts - if we had kicked our penalty awards could we have qualified by loosing point?

In short Ford ran the show - Andre as yet doesn't

[anz3001]

He’s made a couple of critical mistakes at key moments when we were playing against the two best clubs in Europe, which happened to be back to back fixtures.

I do feel our stars, including Handre, need to find/maintain composure at these moments but he’s a class act and there’s no question he is a nailed on starter that we absolutely should be re-signing.

[KevinR]

It's not unusual to see Richie Mo'unga, Beauden Barrett et al missing the occasional kick like this. They're not robots. The crucial difference is that they play for teams that create far more chances to score, so it isn't the be all and end all. I really think the the key is to develop a game plan to increase our scoring opportunities.

[Pellsey]

In short Ford ran the show - Andre as yet doesn't

I think this is grossly unfair. They are different players and Pollard is just having a bad time at the moment.

A couple of months ago, Pollard was really running the show with great kicks and powerful running. His running is still pretty good, even when his passing and kicking are a bit off, atm.

As has been said, form is temporary, class is permanent.

[KiwiTig]

He will be back and we need to back the man

[Tigersunited]

We should back him, he is class - is DMK though? Better squad than last year, results going backwards

[watsonjm]

To me he looks shattered. The break will do him and others good. Just need a result this Friday to keep top 4 hopes alive