Leicester Tigers have signed the wrong player in Handre Pollard according to former Tigers forward Jim Hamilton.
The South Africa fly-half, who arrived at Welford Road on a bumper £600,000 per year as the clubs marquee signing, struggled on his debut against Saracens over the weekend and lasted just 27 minutes.
"I just don't see him as a decent fit for Leicester," said Hamilton on the latest episode of
The Rugby Pod.
"In a like for like, if you want to say like for like, losing George Ford, and we've not always spoke highly about George Ford, [at the] back end of the season looked brilliant, in attack he looked brilliant, the way that Leicester want to play you could say Handre Pollard fits that.
"But I just don't know why they've gone out and signed a South African ten at the back end of his career when there's other players you could potentially look at."
EDITORS PICKS:
Ranking the 5 worst Gallagher Premiership transfers of all time
Honorable mentions: Mark Wilson (Sale Sharks), Gavin Henson (Saracens), JP Pietersen (Leicester Tigers), Richie Gray (Sale Sharks), Chris Ashton (Harlequins)
#5. Jeremy Paul (Gloucester)
What a corker to start off with. The Wallabies legend and World Cup winner joined the club on a three-year contract back in 2007. However, what started off as an exciting signing turned into an expensive mistake for the Cherry & Whites, who have got next to nothing out of the hooker who will have cost them a lot of money. He played only one Premiership game for Glaws in his one season at Kingsholm, departing by mutual consent in July, 2008.
#4. Radike Samo (Newcastle Falcons)
Falcons announced in May 2004 that the Brumbies loose forward had signed on a two-year deal, believed to be worth £150,000 per season. However, the recently-capped Wallaby got cold feet and pulled out of the move claiming he’d only ever signed a letter of intent. Rob Andrew was adamant at the time that agreement to join the Falcons was binding.
#3. Nemani Nadolo (Exeter Chiefs)
Signed for the club 11th Jan 2011 but was registered under his Aussie passport and therefore cost the club 2 points and £5000 for fielding too many overseas players. He was then convicted of drink driving, banned from the road for 18 months, and released by the club in May 2011. He failed to score a single try in his four appearances for the Chiefs. His career has done nothing but rise ever since so that’s nice.
#2. Napolioni Nalaga (London Irish)
The Fijian wide-man joined the newly promoted Exiles in 2017, fresh off scoring 22 tries in 32 games during a productive two year spell with Lyon. With the club spending big money, fans were hopeful that his deadly finishing would give them a chance of avoiding the drop. Instead, he looked unthreatening and slow, scoring just one try.
#1. Andy Goode (London Irish)
Trained with the Exiles for a few weeks before deciding it wasn’t for him and retired. The one-time Premiership record points-scorer then resurfaced at Newcastle in December 2015 where his experience and prolific boot saved them from relegation with London Irish going down. He even made it onto the Rugby Players’ Association Player of the Year shortlist.