The regular captain Siya Kolisi is unavailable for the Test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria due to a stiff neck, and Kriel has been appointed skipper in his absence.

Last week, Kriel led the Boks in their emphatic 54-7 win over the Barbarians, but this weekend he will officially become Springbok captain number 67.

Pollard, who will start at flyhalf for the clash, previously captained the Boks in a Test against Wales in Bloemfontein in 2022.

Jesse Kriel. Photo: Morgan Piek

He believes there’s no one better suited to lead the back-to-back World Champions onto the field.

“Listen, I think Jesse is probably the hardest-working guy I know,” said Pollard.

“He’s been like that since we met at 18. And for me, there’s nobody more deserving of it.

“As a player and as a team, you want to follow someone who leads by example. We’ve got Siya, and he’s just unbelievable — and he’ll be back, we know that for sure. 

“But Jesse is the kind of guy who leads from the front every single day, every training session. That’s the kind of guy you want to play for.

“He’s a great mate of mine, and we’ve all got the utmost respect for him. That’s why it’s such an easy transition for him to slot in. I’m really proud of him.”

Pollard also highlighted the influence of former All Blacks and Highlanders flyhalf Tony Brown, who recently joined the Springbok coaching team as an attack consultant.

Tony Brown. Photo: Morgan Piek

“With Tony Brown, every week is a new step – he’s such an evolving coach,” said the two-time Rugby World Cup winner.

“He’s always looking for that something extra, and it’s really refreshing working with him. It’s fun.

“We haven’t unlocked all our attacking potential yet – this team has a lot more in it. But it’ll take time. The more we play together, the more things will come together. We’ve got unbelievable players, so the more time and space we can create for the guys outside, the better. That’s the plan.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s Test, Pollard said the team won’t underestimate the Azzurri, but they’ll have to earn the right to go wide.

“Italy are a good team and we’re not going to underestimate anything they bring to the party.

“They’re physical and passionate, so we’ve got to put in the hard yards before the pretty stuff happens out wide. It’s going to be a tough start to the game, definitely – but we’re ready for that. Then we’ll see what happens from there.”

Saturday’s Test at Loftus Versfeld kicks off at 17:10.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg