Les 20 secondes déterminantes pour Handre Pollard
Pour un joueur qui ne faisait même pas partie de la sélection initiale de l’Afrique du Sud pour la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2023 en France, Handre Pollard a eu une influence considérable sur l’issue du tournoi lorsque les Springboks ont défendu leur titre, en marquant tous les points de son équipe lors de la victoire 12-11 sur les All Blacks en finale.
Mais c’est la semaine précédente qu’il a peut-être apporté sa contribution la plus importante, en bottant une pénalité à la 78e minute depuis la ligne médiane pour battre l’Angleterre 16-15 en demi-finale.
Un coup de pied sous haute pression en demi-finale
Il s’agissait d’un coup de pied sous haute pression, comme il en existe parfois dans le rugby, et le joueur de 29 ans a réussi à le passer.
Invité de Jim Hamilton dans The Big Jim Show de RugbyPass TV, le demi d’ouverture a expliqué qu’il s’était préparé à marquer des points décisifs plus tôt dans le match, ce qui lui permettait de « profiter de ce moment » lorsque celui-ci se présenterait. Selon lui, c’est ce qui fait la différence avec d’autres botteurs qui peuvent se retrouver dans une situation similaire.
Au cours d’un match chaotique, le numéro 10 des Leicester Tigers a raconté qu’il avait été « très, très surpris » d’être appelé à remplacer Manie Libbok en première période au Stade de France, mais c’est une décision de Jacques Nienaber et de Rassie Erasmus qui s’est finalement avérée payante.
Se préparer à profiter du moment
« Au moment de poser le ballon, pour moi, c’est l’excitation », explique Pollard. « J’adore ça, j’adore ces moments, ça m’excite vraiment. Mais je ne pense pas que ça commence là.
« Nous étions menés de neuf points à 15 minutes de la fin, et dans notre esprit, on savait que ça allait sans doute se jouer sur un coup de pied. Je pense que beaucoup de gars essaient d’écarter cette pensée, alors que de mon côté, je l’anticipe.
« J’ai appris au fil des ans à prendre 20 secondes au moment d’un arrêt de jeu, quel qu’il soit, pour y réfléchir en profondeur. Et ensuite, je l’oublie. Mais au moins inconsciemment, je me prépare à cela.
« Alors que si ça arrive et qu’il y a une pénalité, beaucoup de gars s’énervent et le shot clock (temps imparti) s’enclenche et ils ont 60 secondes.
« Si vous avez réglé le problème dès le début, vous pouvez reprendre votre routine, faire votre travail et profiter de ce moment. Il faut être réaliste, ça ne va pas toujours passer, mais c’est le moment où l’on se sent le plus en vie sur un terrain de rugby, en tant que demi d’ouverture. »
Comments on RugbyPass
The Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
7 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to comments