Handre Pollard steals show with solo effort against Premiership high flyers
Leicester Tigers hosted a Bristol Bears side on Saturday that had won five Gallagher Premiership on the bounce and had scored a shedload of points in the process.
The Tigers only led 15-10 at the break at Welford Road, but pulled away in the second half to win 46-24. South Africa fly-half Handre Pollard was at the heart of the points fest in the second half, scoring a brilliant solo effort which extended his side’s lead to 36-17 following his conversion as well.
The World Cup winner is at the top of his game at the moment, and his chip and chase to run in under the posts sums up how well he is playing, which will be pleasing to all South Africa and Leicester fans.
The win keeps Leicester firmly in the Premiership top four, and with the Springbok pulling the strings in the No10 shirt, their title defence looks stronger with every week. On top of the Premiership, Leicester host Edinburgh next Friday in the round of 16 in the Heineken Champions Cup, where they will prove to be stiff opposition for any side they come up against there as well.
Take a look at Pollard’s great solo effort against Bristol:
Absolute magic 🪄
Handre Pollard with a moment of brilliance to cross the try line for @LeicesterTigers.
Live on #PRTV 📺#GallagherPrem | #LEIvBRI pic.twitter.com/3nlCWr3o1t
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) March 25, 2023
Leicester Tigers Starting XV: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Tom West, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 3 Joe Heyes, 4 George Martin, 5 Cameron Henderson, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Olly Cracknell, 8 Jasper Wiese
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Cronin, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Eli Snyman, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Jack van Poortvliet, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Freddie Steward
Bristol Bears Starting XV: 15. Charles Piutau, 14. Ioan Lloyd, 13. Semi Radradra, 12. James Williams, 11. Gabriel Ibitoye, 10. AJ MacGinty, 9. Harry Randall (cc); 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. Max Lahiff, 4. Chris Vui, 5. Joe Joyce, 6. Steven Luatua (cc), 7. Fitz Harding, 8. Magnus Bradbury.
Replacements: 16. Fred Davies, 17. Ellis Genge, 18. George Kloska, 19. Jake Heenan, 20. Sam Lewis, 21. Andy Uren, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Noah Heward.
