Rassie Erasmus has opted to leave Handré Pollard out of the Springbok matchday squad entirely for the Nations Championship opener against England on Saturday, a decision that has prompted questions from former hooker Schalk Brits.
With Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu sidelined through injury, Manie Libbok will start at fly-half with no recognised number 10 on the bench. Brits suggested on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast that Pollard might have been expected to provide cover, noting the limited options available should Libbok be forced off.
"I thought Handre would be at least on the bench, right?" Brits said. "So, if he gets injured, who's gonna play a 10? He can play Damian [de Allende] at 10, while Cheslin [Kolbe] can play 10 as well."
Kolbe has previously filled in at fly-half for Toulouse in European competition, while Damian Willemse has started eight Tests for the Springboks in the position. Andre Esterhuizen represents another option, though none of the potential stand-ins are natural first receivers.
The selection points to Erasmus backing Libbok to control proceedings for the full 80 minutes. The 28-year-old last started for the Springboks against Australia in August 2025 and will offer a markedly different approach to either Feinberg-Mngomezulu or Pollard. Brits acknowledged Libbok's unique skill set, noting the playmaker can provide options unavailable to more traditional fly-halves.
Pollard's omission follows a difficult outing in the recent United Rugby Championship final, though the double World Cup winner's absence from the entire matchday 23 remains a notable call given the lack of specialist cover.