The Vodacom Bulls have pulled off a massive coup in signing Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard, bringing him back full circle to the franchise where he started his rugby.
The double World Cup winner Pollard, who is out of contract at Leicester Tigers, will be announced formally as a signing by the Bulls on Saturday morning, but his return to South Africa is a massive coup for Jake White’s side and gives them the one missing cog in their backline that they desperately need.
And Pollard’s signing may not be the last, with strong rumours that former Springbok midfielder Jan Serfontein will be confirming his return to Pretoria in the coming days, giving the Bulls another top international backline player.
Apart from that, the team haven’t announced, but have secured the signing of Springbok utility forward Nikolaas Janse van Rensburg, and Stormers scrumhalf Paul de Wet for the new season, bolstering the depth in their squad somewhat.
The news on Pollard was formally broken by Sport24, and SuperSport has confirmed it with sources at the franchise, as the Pretoria side beat out offers from Japan to get him back in South Africa. This means the Bulls will have a backline that will have at least six Springboks next season if all the signings are confirmed.
Handré Pollard has agreed to rejoin his former club, according to reports from News24 🚨🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/JgXxt0L9x0
— BallCarrier (@BallCarrier_) February 28, 2025
Pollard was signed out of school by the Bulls and played for them from 2013 until 2019 where he headed overseas. He made his debut at 19, and played for the Super Rugby side at the same age, where he captained the SA under-20 side and made his Bok debut against Scotland in Port Elizabeth in 2014.
Pollard played 64 times for the Bulls and Blue Bulls side before leaving for Montpellier in 2019. He also played in Japan and most recently for Leicester Tigers before announcing he would leave at the end of the current season. There were strong rumours that two clubs in Japan were after his signature, but according to sources at the Bulls, he decided to sign in Pretoria for less money to return to South Africa.
The move is a masterstroke for the Bulls, who have struggled with a flyhalf given Johan Goosen’s injury issues, while veteran Springbok fullback Willie le Roux is currently spearheading their attack at 10. The prospect of having Le Roux at the back with Springboks Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie on the wings, and Pollard at flyhalf with Jan Serfontein at 12 is a very pleasing one for Bulls fans for next season. Arendse is currently on a sabbatical playing in Japan but will return to the Bulls at the end of the current Japanese season.
The Bulls also have Jaco van der Walt, the former Lions, Edinburgh and Scotland flyhalf in their squad, but who hasn’t played a lot because of injury and former Sharks flyhalf and fullback Boeta Chamberlain.
Janse van Rensburg’s versatility - where he can play both five and seven - are seen as a big part of his push to become a more permanent part of the Bok plans, and gives the Bulls even more depth among their already impressive forward pack.
Serfontein, who was on the outside of Pollard with current Bok Jesse Kriel at one stage in a talented Bulls backline, is also keen to come back to South Africa, and is being courted by the Bulls at this stage. According to sources he is very close to signing with the franchise again.
De Wet has been confirmed with a move to Pretoria, and has been one of the consistent performers for the Stormers over the past few seasons and his departure is one of the reasons they signed another Montpellier Springbok, Cobus Reinach, for next season.