Handre Pollard is closing in on becoming the all-time top scorer for the Springboks, needing just 196 more points to achieve this milestone, which could happen as early as 2025.
The star flyhalf, Handre Pollard, has been steadily accumulating points during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and he now finds himself just behind two players in the all-time points list for the Springboks.
During the final of the Rugby World Cup, Pollard added to his impressive tally, reaching 195 points, which places him in third position on the all-time points list, tied with Michael Lynagh.
In addition to surpassing Lynagh, Pollard also overtook Dan Carter during the final. Only two players, Jonny Wilkinson and Gavin Hastings, have more Rugby World Cup points than Pollard.
As of now, Percy Montgomery holds the top position as the all-time points leader, with 893 points earned throughout his career. Morne Steyn, who concluded his career with 742 points, stands in second place on the all-time scorers list.
Pollard currently occupies the third spot on the Springboks’ all-time top scorers list, with a total of 698 points in Test rugby.
To become the Springboks’ top scorer, Pollard would need to score about ten points per match. This means he is likely to break the record in either 2025 or 2026, depending on his availability and the number of matches played.
Interestingly, Pollard moved into third place some time ago, surpassing a player who remarkably did not score a single goal kick in his career, Bryan Habana. Habana ranks fourth in Springbok points, primarily from scoring 67 tries and is one of the two players in the top ten without any kicked points.
Another notable figure on the list is Elton Jantjies, who is currently suspended due to a doping positive and cannot participate in the Rugby World Cup. He moved into fifth place on the list last season amid controversy surrounding his conduct.
Joel Stransky, in seventh place, played just 22 Tests for South Africa but has an impressive points-per-game average compared to others on the list. Joost van der Westhuizen, sandwiched between Braam van Straaten and Jannie De Beer, is the other player in the top ten without any kicked points.
In summary, Handre Pollard is on track to become the top scorer for the Springboks, and his journey to this milestone is closely watched by rugby enthusiasts.
