Handré Pollard is a successful South African professional rugby player.
He currently plays for the South African national team and Leicester Tigers in the English Premiership rugby league. Pollard’s main playing position is centre-back and centre-back.
He starred as a starting player for South Africa in their winning 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign, playing a key role in the team’s victory.
Pollard’s reliable kicking and playmaking ability played a key role in leading the Springboks to the world championship.
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- Full name: Handre Pollard
- Stage name: Handre Pollard
- Date of birth: March 11, 1994
- Age: 30 years old
- Place of birth: Somerset West, South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Occupation: South African rugby player
- Height: 1.88 m
- Parents: Karen Pollard and Andre Pollard
- Siblings: Unknown
- Spouse: Marise Malherbe
- Children: Hunter André Pollard
- Relationship: Married
- Net worth: 5 million USD
Early life and education
Handre Pollard was born on March 11, 1994 in Somerset West, South Africa. He is the son of Karen Pollard and Andre Pollard, a famous figure in South African rugby who captained the Paarl Gimnasium First XV in 1978. It is not known if Handre has any siblings.
Pollard attended the prestigious Paarl Gimnasium school in South Africa, which is famous for its strong rugby program. He played very well there and was recognized as the school’s prodigy.
After graduating from high school, Pollard moved to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls and played for the University of Pretoria rugby team, UP Tuks, while also competing in the Varsity Cup. Handre Pollard is ethnically South African, but his religion is unknown to the media.
Career
Handré Pollard began his rugby career at a young age, showing talent from an early stage. In 2007, he was called up to the provincial team for the Western Province U13 team, starting his journey in this sport.
He went on to represent Western Province at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2010 and the Under-18 Craven Week competitions in 2011 and 2012. In addition, Pollard captained the team under 18 years of age in SA schools in both 2011 and 2012.
In 2012, Pollard moved to Gauteng, joining the Pretoria-based Blue Bulls for the 2013 season. His first involvement with the team was in the 2013 Varsity Cup competition, where he played for university team UP Tuks .
Later that year, Pollard signed a contract extension to keep him at the Blue Bulls until 2017. He was also named in their Currie Cup squad for the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division season.
In 2015, the Blue Bulls announced that Pollard would join top Japanese team NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka on a three-month contract from November 2015 to January 2016. However, he would return to the Bulls first. Super Rugby 2016 season.
In 2019, the Blue Bulls confirmed that Pollard would join Top 14 side Montpellier after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, following his desire to continue playing in France. In December 2021, Leicester Tigers announced that they had signed Pollard from Montpellier at the end of the 2021/22 season, replacing the departed George Ford.
Pollard’s international career is equally impressive. He was selected for the South African Schools team in 2012, where he scored 37 points in three appearances against France, Wales and England.
He was then called up to the South African U20 team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship on home soil. After missing the first match, he started in the remaining 4 matches. Pollard made his Springbok debut in 2014 at senior level, starting with a match against Scotland during the upcoming 2014 tour series.
His most recent achievement came in the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-finals, where his 77th-minute winning penalty kick helped South Africa overcome England 16-15 and reach the finals. meeting New Zealand. Pollard is South Africa’s 2nd highest points scorer of all time, further cementing his legacy in the sport.
Social Media
- Instagram handle: @handrepollard
Personal life
Handré Pollard, the famous South African rugby player, has been married to Marise Malherbe for more than 12 years. The couple first connected via Facebook and began dating before getting married in 2017 in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Handré and Marise have a young son named Hunter André Pollard, who just celebrated his six-month birthday. The family resided in South Africa, where Handré continued his successful professional rugby career.
Net worth
Handré Pollard’s net worth is estimated to be around $5 million. This wealth mainly comes from his lucrative rugby contracts with various clubs, including Montpellier and Leicester Tigers.
His significant contributions to the South African national team and exceptional performances on the field also contributed to his financial success.