After a few days of speculations, Vodacom Blue Bulls have confirmed that flyhalf Handre Pollard will leave the club at the end of the 2019 season. Pollard is believed to have signed a deal worth R20 million per season with Montpellier an amount which Bulls CEO Alfons Meyer admitted would not be able to match.
“It’s one of those things but we’ve got no chance to compete with the pound and euro”, Meyer said. The 25-year-old flyhalf joined in 2013 while he was still studying at the University of Pretoria. In 56 matches for the Bulls, he has scored 581 points including 9 tries, 110 penalties, 88 conversions, and 4 drop goals.
“Handre has been a true servant for us for six years. He has been an outstanding asset, not only to the teams he played for but also our supporters, to whom he endeared himself from early on with his attitude towards the Bulls,” said Blue Bulls Company CEO, Alfons Meyer in his statement.
The news also confirms that the Bulls will not have the services of Jesse Kriel and Lood de Jager for the 2020 season. Meanwhile, the Bulls have also confirmed the signing of Morne Steyn from Stade Francais in France on a 2-year contract.
Steyn left the Bulls in 2013 to join Stade Francais and set to make a return to Loftus at the beginning of the next season after the flyhalf requested to finish his playing career at the franchise where it all started.
Incredible. The amount of players leaving from South Africa to Europe is quite insane. The push for South Africa to join European leagues and ditch Super Rugby will only intensify in my opinion due to the amount of players leaving.