Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard believes coach Rassie Erasmus is met die helm gebore.
The 30-year-old Pollard says South Africa’s coach has the sixth sense and kan in die toekoms insien en gedagtes lees when things are out of place in his Bok team.
The Springboks are currently on the English Channel island Jersey where they are preparing for their three UK tour Tests against Scotland, England and Wales.
But ahead of joining up with his Bok mates in Jersey, Pollard was a guest on former England players Dan Cole and Ben Youngs’ For the Love of Rugby podcast where the flyhalf explained how Erasmus can read minds like a Star Wars Movie Jedi Knight.
Pollard says: “We don’t sit and have coffee together. He comes in and does his thing. But he can read the group like I’ve never seen before. Even before we can pick something up within the group, he’s known it for two weeks already. He’s seen it coming from a mile.
“When we need to be shocked a bit, he does that. Naturally, when you have success, you can be the best bunch of guys ever, but egos are going to develop. He sees that from a mile and just shocks you on a Monday morning and puts you back in your seat.
“That’s why he’s so good. He doesn’t miss anything. He’s quite often not there, but knows everything, knows exactly what’s going on and he can read and feel for the group. He knows when we need confidence and when we need to be put in our place.”
According to Pollard no one in the Springbok squad word voorgetrek deur Erasmus.
He adds: “It keeps everybody very equal and extremely hungry – especially the older guys, your big dogs like Pieter-Steph [du Toit], Siya [Kolisi] and Eben [Etzebeth].
“It’s not a fear of if I’m still going to play or not, it’s that I’ve gotta prove myself every single day.”
